ACTRESS Linda Robson reveals she and her Birds of a Feather co-stars went ‘on strike’ after learning they were being paid a “pittance” in comparison to their male sitcom counterparts.
The 66-year-old admitted that she and her fellow acting stars, Lesley Joseph and Pauline Quirke, were left less than impressed to discover how little they were being paid during their first few years on the sitcom.
Linda Robson has admitted the Birds of a Feather cast were paid ‘a pittance’[/caption]
It sparked the trio to go on ‘strike’ after becoming locked in a pay row with Only Fools and Horses stars[/caption]
The trio discovered the Only Fools cast were being paid significantly more than them[/caption]
Whilst Linda has since managed to amass a small fortune thanks to the longevity of the programme as well as her regular role on Loose Women and various reality shows, things weren’t always so rosy for the Islington native.
Linda has confessed that she, Pauline and Lesley were left in-shock when they discovered that the stars of Only Fools and Horses, which included Sir David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst, were making a mint in comparison to them.
Speaking at the TV Choice Awards, Linda revealed the pay row even put a halt on filming until their salaries matched those of the Only Fools stars.
The Loose Women panellist said: “We found out how much [money] Only Fools and Horses were getting and in comparison we were getting a pittance.
“Then, we said, ‘we aren’t doing any more [episodes] unless you give us the same money as the boys’.”
Linda later admitted they were successful in getting the payrise with the three Birds of a Feather stars all managing to secure top contracts to be on the same wages as the Only Fools stars.
Only Fools and Horses started in 1981 with Birds of a Feather coming along eight years later.
Both shows were screened by the BBC during their crossover years amid the pay row.
Elsewhere, Linda spoke about managing to land her first major acting role since wrapping up the comedy for good in 2020.
She will be playing a role in the next series of Channel 5‘s The Good Ship Murder.
Led by Shayne Ward and Catherine Tyldesley, Linda will be filming on the show for eight days next month.
Spilling all on her role, she said: “I’ve just won a part in Murder on the Ship or whatever it is called that Shayne Ward does.
“So yeah, I’m going to be doing eight days of filming for that in Malta.”
Offering up a hint as to her character, she also cheekily implied she would not die on the show as a result of being out there for eight days.
Linda continued: “Hopefully I don’t die!
“My character’s name is Elsa and I think I play a cabin steward and I’m filming that in March.
“I’ve met Shayne quite a few times too – he’s been a guest at Loose Women but apparently he sings in every episode doesn’t he?”
Linda then laughed: “He won’t get me to sing!”
Linda has also bagged a brand new TV role[/caption]
