Birds Of A Feather star Linda Robson has revealed that she fought for the same pay as the male stars of Only Fools And Horses – and won.

Robson, 59, shot to fame as Tracey alongside Pauline Quirke as her sister Sharon and Lesley Joseph as their neighbour Dorien in the then-BBC TV comedy.

Birds Of A Feather stars in the 1990s (PA)
Birds Of A Feather stars in the 1990s (PA)

The Loose Women host, 59, told the show: “When we started Birds Of A Feather, which was ’89 and through the Nineties, we weren’t paid much money because I don’t think they knew how successful it was going to be.

“But halfway through the Nineties someone happened to mention how much the boys were getting on Only Fools And Horses.

“Armed with this knowledge, we  then said ‘we want the same – and maybe a little bit more’ and we actually got it.”

Pauline Quirke, Lesley Joseph and Linda Robson filming the return of Birds Of A Feather (ITV/Press Association Images)
Pauline Quirke, Lesley Joseph and Linda Robson filming the return of Birds Of A Feather (ITV/Press Association Images)

Robson added of the three stars of the revived ITV sitcom: “We all got paid exactly the same money and we still do now.

“Our agents had to haggle with them and say that we wouldn’t be doing any more unless they gave us the increase which we thought we deserved.”

Her comments come after the BBC disclosed the salaries of its top earners, with controversy over the difference between the pay packets of female and male stars.