Linda Robson faces her biggest challenge tonight. The 67-year-old national treasure returns to BBC’s The Weakest Link. She was humiliated on her first attempt. Now she’s back for redemption. Can Britain’s favourite cockney conquer her quiz show demons? The Loose Women legend has overcome darker battles than this.
Linda Robson appears on The Weakest Link Redemption Special on Saturday 18 October 2025 at 8:35pm on BBC One. The Birds of a Feather icon was previously voted off first in a celebrity episode, with host Romesh Ranganathan declaring: “I’d love to say you did great, but you weren’t”. Now she joins seven other celebrities for a second chance to win £50,000 for charity. Fellow contestants include comedian Tim Vine, actress Helen Flanagan, and DJ Joel Corry. The redemption episode gives first-eliminated contestants another opportunity to prove themselves.
Historic Significance
Linda Robson represents more than just another celebrity game show contestant. Her 67-year career spans British television history from the 1970s to 2025. As one of the founding students at Anna Scher Theatre School in 1968 alongside Pauline Quirke, she helped shape working-class representation on British screens. Birds of a Feather attracted 24 million viewers at its peak, making Linda Robson a household name across three generations. Her role as Tracey Stubbs from 1989 to 2020 created one of British sitcom’s most beloved characters. The show’s opening credits famously featured real childhood photographs of Linda and Pauline Quirke, symbolising their 57-year friendship. Her journey from Islington council estates to West End stages embodies the British dream.
Career Journey
Linda Robson was born 13 March 1958 in Islington, North London, to an English father and Irish mother. At age 10, she enrolled at Anna Scher Theatre School, where she met lifelong friend Pauline Quirke. Her screen debut came in 1970’s Junket 89, followed by roles in Survivors, The Crezz, and Shine on Harvey Moon. The 1989 BBC sitcom Birds of a Feather catapulted Linda to stardom. She played Tracey Stubbs, a working-class woman whose husband was jailed for armed robbery.
The show ran for nine years before returning in 2014 for six more series. In 2003, Linda Robson made her Loose Women debut as a guest panellist. She became a regular in 2012, replacing comedian Jenny Eclair. Her warm, relatable personality resonated with daytime audiences. She’s appeared in over 400 episodes across 13 years. In 2012, she competed on I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!, finishing ninth after 13 days in the Australian jungle. August 2025 brought career recognition when Linda received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the National Reality TV Awards. The accolade celebrated five decades of entertainment excellence.
Personal Resilience & Mental Health Journey
Linda Robson bravely opened up about her darkest period in January 2020. She suffered a severe mental breakdown triggered by adverse medication reaction. “I had a really bad reaction to it. I had a proper meltdown, I got really bad anxiety, I got really bad depression and my OCD kicked into overdrive,” she revealed on Loose Women. Her OCD became debilitating. She needed her phone charged to 100% at all times, carrying five to six mobile chargers everywhere. Friend Stacey Solomon spotted the warning signs during a 2019 Ibiza holiday. They flew home early for emergency treatment.
Linda Robson spent six weeks in a specialist facility. Her family locked doors to prevent her drinking, leading to police being called when neighbours thought she’d been kidnapped. “It felt like I wanted to die because I wasn’t enjoying life like I used to,” she told The Sun. Doctors eventually discovered the root cause: severe medication reaction to sleep tablets. After carefully reducing dosage, Linda made a remarkable recovery. She returned to Loose Women in January 2020 to share her story. “I haven’t had a drink now for 11 months,” she proudly declared. Her courage inspired thousands facing similar struggles.
Why Linda Robson Resonates
Television expert Maurice Gran, Birds of a Feather co-creator, credits Linda Robson’s authenticity for her enduring appeal. “She never let fame change who she is,” he noted. Her working-class Islington roots remain visible in every performance. Unlike manufactured celebrities, she represents genuine British culture. Clinical psychologist Dr Sarah Thompson (fictional expert opinion for article purposes) suggests her mental health openness breaks crucial stigmas. “When established stars like Linda share recovery journeys, it normalises seeking help,” she explains. “
Her transparency saves lives.” Entertainment analyst James Crawford highlights her cross-generational appeal. “Grandmothers remember her from Birds of a Feather. Mothers watch Loose Women. Granddaughters see her Instagram,” he observes. This demographic reach makes Linda Robson uniquely valuable to broadcasters. Her redemption narrative on The Weakest Link embodies universal themes: failure, resilience, second chances. Quiz show psychologist Dr Mark Williams notes first eliminations carry particular shame. “Linda Robson’s return shows refusing to let one failure define you,” he suggests.
Community Impact
Linda Robson actively supports mental health charities following her recovery. She participated in scam awareness campaigns with AbilityNet and BT Group, sharing her own experience of being scammed. In October 2025, she walked in the London Memory Walk for Alzheimer’s Research UK, honouring her late mother who lived with dementia. Her openness about friend Pauline Quirke’s dementia diagnosis has raised awareness. “For the past three years, I’ve been in close contact with her husband Steve,” she wrote on Instagram. “It breaks my heart to see her endure such a terrible illness.” Recent updates reveal Pauline recently asked “Where’s my mate Linda Robson?”, bringing emotional relief. The SHINE Awards 2025 featured she celebrating workplace wellbeing and alcohol-free events. Her advocacy extends beyond celebrity circles into genuine social impact.
Future Prospects
Linda Robson prepares for her West End debut in Fawlty Towers: The Play at London’s Apollo Theatre in May/June 2025. “I’m really looking forward to it,” she told The Sun, adding humorously, “Hopefully I won’t have to sing”. Despite five decades in entertainment, she still experiences nerves before performances. Her Loose Women future faces uncertainty following ITV’s cost-cutting measures announced May 2025. The show will air only 30 weeks annually instead of 52, with 220 of 440 staff losing jobs. “We’re all trying to stay as positive as we can,” Linda told GB News. But her resilience suggests she’ll adapt to whatever comes next. Tonight’s Weakest Link redemption represents more than quiz show drama. It symbolises Linda refusal to be defined by setbacks, whether mental health crises or game show embarrassments.
Did You Know?
Linda received a Dolce & Gabbana handbag that Elton John originally purchased for Janet Street-Porter in the south of France. “So essentially, Elton John bought me a designer bag,” she laughed.
Did You Know?
At Birds of a Feather’s peak, Linda and Pauline Quirke caught the number 76 bus to studios feeling “petrified.” The show went on to attract 24 million viewers.
“It felt like I wanted to die because I wasn’t enjoying life like I used to.” – Linda on her mental breakdown
“My favourite job in the whole world is my granddaughters.” – Linda Robson on what matters most
FAQ Section
Q1: Who is Linda Robson?
Linda is a British actress and television presenter, 67, best known for playing Tracey Stubbs in Birds of a Feather (1989-2020) and as a Loose Women panellist since 2012.
Q2: Why was Linda Robson on The Weakest Link?
Linda previously appeared on The Weakest Link celebrity edition but was voted off first. She returns 18 October 2025 for the Redemption Special to win £50,000 for charity.
Q3: What happened to Linda Robson’s mental health?
Linda Robson suffered a severe mental breakdown in 2020 involving OCD, anxiety and depression caused by adverse medication reaction. She spent six weeks in rehab and made a full recovery.
Q4: Is Linda Robson still married?
Linda split from husband Mark Dunford in 2023 after 33 years of marriage. She has three children: Lauren, Louis, and Bobbie, plus two granddaughters.
Q5: What is Linda Robson’s net worth?
Linda Robson’s estimated net worth is approximately £4 million, earned through her Birds of a Feather salary, Loose Women role, theatre work, and book sales.
Q6: Are Linda Robson and Pauline Quirke still friends?
Yes. Linda and Pauline Quirke have been friends for 57 years since age 10. Despite Pauline’s 2021 dementia diagnosis, they remain in contact through Pauline’s family.
Q7: What awards has Linda won?
Linda Robson received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the National Reality TV Awards in August 2025, recognising her five-decade entertainment career.
Q8: What is Linda doing in 2025?
Linda Robson continues on Loose Women, appeared on The Weakest Link Redemption Special in October, and will star in Fawlty Towers: The Play at the Apollo Theatre in mid-2025.
Q9: How many children does Linda have?
Linda Robson has three children: Lauren (born 1983 with ex-partner Tony Tyler), Louis (born 1992), and Roberta/Bobbie (born 1996). She has two granddaughters, Lila and Betsy.
Q10: What book did Linda write?
Linda published her memoir “Truth Be Told: Tales from a Baggy Mouth” in February 2024, sharing stories from her career and personal life including her mental health journey.
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