Birds of a Feather returning for one-off Christmas special – but without Pauline Quirke

There will also be appearances from Curtis Walker and Ami Metcalf, but usual star Pauline Quirke will not be involved as she's stepping back from acting to focus on her 200 nationwide performing arts academies.

The episode joins the characters three years after we last saw them, and ITV promises that there have been big changes in each of their lives.

The official synopsis reads, "Tracey and Dorien have been getting right on each others’ thruppennies, while Sharon has escaped to the other side of the world and is stuck on a COVID-cruise… Who can fill the Sharon-shaped hole in their lives this Christmas?"

The special has been written by the show's creators Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran with contributions from Gary Lawson and John Phelps.

In a statement, Marks and Gran said, "We’re really excited to help bring Birds of a Feather back to ITV's screens to give the nation some seasonal cheer in these peculiar times."

Linda Robson added, "I'm so happy we have a new Birds adventure. Trace and Dor have been at loggerheads with each other for months, will it be a peaceful Christmas in Essex?! The script for this special is brilliant, I promise we'll have lots of laughs for fans of the show."

And Lesley Joseph further teased the special, saying, "I'm so excited to be putting Dorien's high heels back on for a Christmas special of Birds. It's been 3 years since viewers last saw us and Dorien's only gone and got herself a new man!

"We all need a laugh right now and I promise this special will deliver the festive goods!”

Birds of a Feather originally aired from 1989 to 1998, before being revived between 2014 and 2017.

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