Pauline fell in love with acting when she was just nine years old. Little did anyone know that choosing drama club over country dancing would not only shape her own life but also touch so many others along the way.

how it all began

how it all began

Pauline, and her husband Steve, opened the first Pauline Quirke Academy of Performing Arts (PQA)  in 2007. Unable to find somewhere that ticked all the boxes for their son Charlie, they decided to take matters into their own hands!

Having both worked in the performing arts industry, they knew exactly how the arts could have a positive impact on the mental and emotional wellbeing of young people, as well as opening up their minds to a whole world of creativity and fun.

Pauline and Steve felt it was important to reflect the full performing arts spectrum in the classes that PQA offered. With plenty of dance schools in the area, they wanted to ensure that they covered drama, and of course, comedy and filmmaking classes too.

When 130 young people turned up for the opening of their first academy, they knew that they were on to something! Today there are over 200 academies nationwide, offering unique performing arts classes for children and teens.

Pauline’s Film and TV Roles

Of course, Pauline is best known as Sharon Theodopolopodous from Birds of a Feather, the hilarious sitcom that ran for nearly 30 years and 127 episodes, for which she won Best TV Comedy Newcomer at the British Comedy Awards. But her acting credits don’t stop there! She wowed audiences with her BAFTA-nominated role in The Sculptress, appeared in the hit teen drama Skins, and took on the mysterious Susan Wright in ITV’s Broadchurch—sharing the screen with David Tennant and Olivia Colman. (Although, if you ask us, her dog Bailey totally stole the show!).

Her first big break came quickly, just a few months after starting drama club, Pauline landed a role as a child arsonist in Dixon of Dock Green. From that moment on, her career took off. By the time she was 15, she was already hosting her own live TV chat show, Pauline’s People—which was pretty daring stuff, back in 1974! Around the same time, she landed her first real comedy role in ‘You Must Be Joking’.

You might also have seen her in shows like Carrie’s War, North and South, Casualty, Cold Blood, Thieving Headmistress, My Family, You, Me and the Apocalypse and of course Emmerdale, amongst many others!

Pauline’s Film and TV Roles
Pauline's Legacy

Pauline's Legacy

Pauline’s story is nothing short of incredible. Growing up in Islington with a single parent who sometimes couldn’t scrape together the 10p for her to attend the Anna Scher Drama Club, she’s gone on to become a household name. Through it all, she’s stayed true to herself, using her talent, humour, and kindness to inspire others and champion important causes.

During her epic career, spanning more than 50 years, Pauline’s performances have seen her nominated for various accolades across BAFTA, the British Comedy Awards, British Soap Awards and the National Television Awards (NTAs).

Pauline has always found time to give back. She’s an honorary member of the NSPCC, a patron of Rennie Grove Hospice, and supports charities like Children with Leukaemia, Children in Crisis, and Children’s Hospices UK.

In 2022, Pauline was awarded an MBE in the late Queen’s final Birthday Honours. It was a heartfelt recognition of her incredible work with young people, her contributions to entertainment, and her dedication to charity.