Linda Robson

**Linda Patricia Mary Robson**(born March 13, 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 twelth 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 August 9, 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 November 23, 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**

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 January 2, 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 December 26, 2014. In March 2015, it was announced that ITV had commissioned a third revived series (twelth 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**

#### **Guest Appearances**

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

### **Films**

 2011
 2012

## 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.