Birds Of A Feather could return for a full series in 2018, the long-running sitcom’s star Lesley Joseph has said.
The much-loved show is back on screens this Christmas for its annual festive special after first being revived by ITV in 2014.
And despite only having a one-off show this year, Joseph, 72, refused to rule out a full series for next year once her and co-stars Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson have a bit more time on their hands.
Birds of a Feather star Lesley Joseph (PA)
She told the Press Association: “The thing is we’ve all been really, really busy.
“Last year I was doing Strictly and I was doing Annie. This year I’m doing Young Frankenstein and that goes on until next year, so there wasn’t really the space to put a full series in. Next year? Who knows?”
Robson, 59, added: “ITV would like one. It’s just at the moment all of us are doing different projects.”
The show originally aired on BBC One in 1989 but was off air between 1998 and 2014 before being revived for a full series on ITV.
It also returned for series in 2015 and 2016 as well as the Christmas specials.
Last year’s festive episode saw Tracey, Dorien and Sharon take a break in Morocco but this year they will be back on their Essex turf as Tracey (Robson) plans to downsize the house she shares with her sister Sharon (Quirke).
The trio will also be seen getting locked into a crypt.
Joseph said the show’s popularity rested on the characters being relatable.
“They’re real people that people can relate to and they’re funny,” she said.
“I meet so many people who say ‘Oh my God, everybody calls me Dorian’. I think they like Dorian because she’s of a certain age, she’s still in high heels and she doesn’t give a f***.
“They love Tracey and Sharon because they’re thick as thieves, but at the same time they row like so many family members do.”
The actress also revealed she wanted to celebrate 30 years of Birds Of A Feather in 2019 with a programme looking at its success.
She said: “We should do a retrospective on Birds with a load of talking heads, because it is very unusual to have a programme that’s been going on that long and is still loved.
“We really should do a proper retrospective as to why it’s still on screen, if it is in two years’ time. Why it is still there and what people love about it,” she added.
:: Birds of a Feather Christmas Special will air on ITV on Monday December 18.
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