Linda Robson

Linda Patricia Mary Robson (born 13 March 1958) is an English actress and presenter, best known for playing Tracey Stubbs in the sitcom Birds of a Feather between 1989 and 1998 and 2014 onwards.

In 2011, Robson appeared in the film Anuvahood as K's mum Pauline. In 2012, Robson took part in the twelfth series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, coming in 9th place.

Early life

Robson was educated at Ecclesbourne Primary School, and at the private, fee-paying Anna Scher Theatre School, both in Islington.

Early career

Robson had a non-speaking role as a young girl amidst a group of roaming 'survivors' in the second series of the original BBC Survivors drama screened in 1976 and then appeared in Pauline's Quirkes (her first regular appearance with Pauline Quirke) and the drama series The Crezz, the comedy drama Shine on Harvey Moon in 1982 and the IRA drama Harry's Game.

Career

Television

Robson subsequently appeared in programmes such as The Bill and Crossroads. She appeared with Jenny Eclair and Dillie Keane in the original cast of Grumpy Old Women Live, a spin-off from the television series Grumpy Old Women, written by Jenny Eclair and Judith Holder. On 9 August 2007, she narrated a show for ITV, called Britain's Youngest Brides. In July 2008, Robson entered Celebrity MasterChef and reached the semi-finals.

In July 2010, Robson made a guest appearance in BBC drama series Casualty, playing the mother of a young man with bipolar disorder. Robson was the first celebrity to arrive in Australia ahead of the 2012 series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, but was voted out on the 13th day in the camp on 23 November 2012, finishing in 9th place. In 2012, Robson became a regular panellist on the ITV lunchtime chat show Loose Women, after having previously appeared as a guest.

Birds of a Feather

Main article: Birds of a Feather

Robson played Tracey Stubbs in the BBC sitcom Birds of a Feather from 1989 to 1998, starring with Pauline Quirke and Lesley Joseph. In 2013, it was announced that Birds of a Feather was to return for a tenth series, this time airing on the ITV network. The first episode aired on 2 January 2014 to an audience of over 8 million. After a successful tenth series, it was announced in 2014 that Birds of a Feather would return for an eleventh series, which began on 26 December 2014. In March 2015, it was announced that ITV had commissioned a third revived series (twelfth overall) which began airing in January 2016.

Radio

Robson is an occasional guest presenter for BBC London 94.9. In November 2012, she played the part of Lisa, the hypochondriac mother of Luke (Daniel Mays) in Alexander Kirk's play Told You I Was Ill, episode two in the series Living with Mother on BBC Radio 4.

Other work

In November 2014, Robson was a part of Gareth Malone's 'All Star Choir', who released a cover version of Wake Me Up to raise money for the BBC's Children in Need. The single reached No.1 on the Official UK Singles Chart.

Filmography

Television

Date	Programme	Role	Notes
1980	Agony	Mary	Episode: "Hospital Romances" (series 3)
1982	Harry's Game	Theresa McCorrigan	Minor role
1982	The Agatha Christie Hour	Edna	Episode: "The Middle-Aged Wife"
1989–1998, 2014—	Birds of a Feather	Tracey Stubbs	Regular role
2003, 2010–2011, 2012—	Loose Women	Herself	Regular panellist
2007	Britain's Youngest Brides	Narrator	One-off documentary
2008	Celebrity MasterChef	Herself	Contestant
2010	Casualty	Demanding patient	4 episodes
2012	I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!	Herself	Contestant

Guest appearances

• I'm Famous and Frightened! (12–14 March 2004)
• The Paul O'Grady Show (2 December 2004, 1 November 2007) – Guest
• Celebrity Come Dine with Me (24 July 2006) – Contestant
  • Daily Cooks Challenge (3 August 2009) – Guest
• Celebrity Quitters (2010) – Participant
• Ten Mile Menu (28 July 2010) – Participant
• This Morning (8 July 2010, 19 July, 25 August, 6 September 2011, 24 January, 21 February, 16 April 2012) – Guest
• The Alan Titchmarsh Show (17 March, 11 October 2011, 21 March 2013) – Guest
• Daybreak (10 February 2012, 21 February 2013) – Guest
• Lorraine (18 April 2012) – Guest
• Pointless Celebrities (12 December 2012, 9 August 2014) – Contestant
• Through the Keyhole (28 September 2013) – Celebrity homeowner
• The Chase: Celebrity Special (26 October 2013) – Contestant
• The Jonathan Ross Show (18 January 2014) – Guest
• You Saw them Here First (12 March 2014) – Contributor
• Celebrity Squares (8 October 2014) – Guest
• Mel and Sue (14 January 2015) – Guest
• You're Back in the Room (12 March 2016)– Guest
• Up Late with Rylan (31 May 2016) Guest

Films

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1976	The Likely Lads	Marsha
2011	Anuvahood	Pauline (K's mum)
2012	Outside Bet	Lil

Personal life

Robson has lived in Islington, North London all her life. She is married with three children: Lauren (born 1984), Louis (born 1992) and Bobbie (born 1997). She became a grandmother in 2012.

Robson's father was a chain-smoker, who died of lung cancer when he was 57. Her mother also died of cancer in August 2012. In October 2013, Robson voiced an interactive video campaign for the British Lung Foundation aiming to ban smoking in cars with children on board in the United Kingdom, in memory of her father.

On an episode of This Morning, Robson matched the Guinness World Record for filling as many pancakes as possible in the space of one minute. She managed to fill six pancakes.

External links

• Linda Robson at the Internet Movie Database