The Good Ship Murder series 3 episode 5: Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph reunite on screen for Channel 5 cosy crime
The Birds of a Feather stars are back onscreen together
The Good Ship Murder sails into Cape Verde this month with two very special VIP’s in the guest cast – Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph.
The Birds of a Feather actresses reunite on screen in an upcoming episode of the Channel 5 cosy crime drama. And it’s the first time they’ve acted together since 2020. That year, the popular sitcom from the 80s and 90s returned for a special episode.
Both leading ladies rarely take on acting roles on TV these days. Although Loose Women viewers will know Linda is a regular talking head on the panel show. So that makes their reunion on The Good Ship Murder quite something for their fans.
Here’s everything we know about guest stars Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph in the cast of The Good Ship Murder series 3 episode 5.
The Good Ship Murder welcomes Lesley Joseph and Linda Robson to the guest cast
Lesley Joseph and Linda Robson join the guest cast of The Good Ship Murder series 3 in the upcoming episode 5. This follows appearances from Emmerdale’s Lesley Dunlop, and River City’s Sally Howitt.
The veteran actresses star as “two merry widows Tilly and Elsa”. The pair have embarked on a grief cruise to celebrate the lives of their departed loved ones. When the ship docks in Cape Verde, the two of them join a small group going onshore to visit a small shrine to pay their respects to those they have lost.
But then Tilly (Lesley Joseph) is found murdered… As Jack investigates, he discovers various suspects including creepy Noel, the fellow grief cruiser, who seems to have been stalking Tilly. There’s also shifty Angel, a restaurant critic with a secret, and Emiliano, a market trader with some shady contacts and a police record.
What are Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph famous for?
Of course, their fans will know that Lesley Joseph and Linda Robson made their names playing Dorien Green and Tracey Stubbs respectively in Birds of a Feather. The duo portrayed the roles between 1989 and 2020, alongside co-star and friend Pauline Quirke, who played Sharon Theodopolopodous. Tragically, Pauline was diagnosed with dementia in 2021. Linda and Pauline are real life childhood best friends.
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Birds of a Feather was a hugely popular sitcom back in the day. It originally ran from 1989 until 1998 on BBC One. It was then brought back by ITV in 2014, and ran for six years, with the final episode airing on Christmas Eve 2020. However, Pauline’s Sharon Theodopolopodous was absent from the 2020 Christmas special, a year before her diagnosis.
The series followed chalk and cheese sisters Sharon and Tracey whose husbands were sent to prison for armed robbery. Sharon, who lived in an Edmonton council flat, subsequently moved into Tracey’s upmarket house in Chigwell, Essex. Once there, they both had to contend with their nosy next-door neighbour – and later friend Dorien – a middle-aged married Jewish woman with a penchant for younger men!
Back in February, Linda revealed that her childhood friend Pauline Quirke no longer recognised her or her children. Speaking on Loose Women, she said: “It’s very sad. We’ve been best friends since we were 10. I’ve known [about the diagnosis] for three years and we’ve managed to keep it quiet. She doesn’t know who anybody is. She doesn’t know who I am or who are kids are.”
Linda Robson portrays Elsa in the guest cast of The Good Ship Murder series 3 episode 5
Who is Elsa Crabtree?
Elsa is a widow who, along with her pal Tilly, embarks on a “grief cruise” to celebrate the lives of their lost loved ones. However, when the ship docks in Cape Verde, Elsa is left grieving once again when her friend is found dead. But could Elsa actually be a suspect herself?
What TV and films has Linda Robson been in?
London-born Linda, 67, is of course best known for her aforementioned role in Birds of a Feather. However, with a career spanning more than five decades, Linda has popped up all over the place in both TV and film. In fact, she started as a child actor in the 70s. Her very first role was playing Daisy in the slapstick comedy Junket 89, when she was just 12. She reprised the role in the 1972 sequel, The Trouble with 2B.
She subsequently appeared in dozens of TV sitcoms and series, including Going Out, L for Lester, Bad Boyes, The Bill, and Thin Air. Those of you mature enough to remember, will know her as Maggie Moon in Shine on Harvey Moon, a role she played on and off between 1982 to 1995. Between
Linda has appeared in multiple films, too. These include 1976’s The Likely Lads, and 2011’s Anuvahood. As herself, Linda has taken part in Comic Relief Does Fame Academy, Come Dine with Me, Grumpy Old Women, Celebrity Quitters, and Celebrity Coach Trip.
In 2012, the mum-of-three took part in I’m A Celebrity… Series 12 of the reality show also starred Rosemary Shrager, Limahl, Brian Conley, and Charlie Brooks (who went on to win). Linda was eliminated third on day 13, placing her ninth. Linda has also been a panellist on Loose Women on and off since 2000.
In real life, she divorced her husband Mark Dunford in 2023.
Lesley Joseph stars as Tilly Webster
Who is Tilly in The Good Ship Murder series 3 episode 5?
Like Elsa, Tilly is a “merry widow” who embarks on a “grief cruise”. Actually, the character is not dissimilar to her Bird of a Feather character Dorien Green. However, she doesn’t last long. Poor Tilly is found murdered… And one of her suspects is creepy Noel, the fellow grief cruiser, who seems to have been stalking Tilly.
What else has Lesley Joseph been in?
London-born Lesley, 80, has a stage and TV career spanning more than 60 years. Her very first TV role was playing Catherine of Braganza in the 1969 TV movie The Bastard King. She went on to appear in multiple TV series as a jobbing actress, until Dorien Green in Birds of a Feather – a role she played until
Other notable roles include Ma Pecs in comedy drama Rumble in 1996, Miss Millington in Children’s anthology series Look and Read in 1997, and Green Beryl in 2006’s The Secret of Eel Island.
Between Rachel Culgrin in Night & Day. The Channel 5 soap was set in Greenwich, and followed the lives of six very different families, amid the disappearance of a 16-year-old girl.
Like her friend and co-star Linda, Lesley has also appeared as herself in reality shows including Come Dine with Me, Pilgrimage, and Celebrity 5 Go Motorhoming. In 2016, she took part in Strictly Come Dancing. It was the 14th series, and she was partnered with professional dancer Anton Du Beke.
Behind the screen, Lesley has two children, a son and a daughter, from a relationship with Carl Littlejohn.
The Good Ship Murder series 3 episode 5 cast: Lesley Dunlop stars as Carole Merryweather
Who is Carole Merryweather?
Carole Merryweather is a long-term passenger on the MSC Virtuosa. She is celebrating a milestone in her life on board the ship. She first appeared in episode 2 of the feel-good cosy crime drama.
What TV and film has Lesley Dunlop done before?
Lesley Dunlop’s appearance in The Good Ship Murder cast is a treat for soap fans. The 69-year-old actress, from Newcastle upon Tyne, is most famous for her long-running role in Emmerdale.
She played Brenda Walker in the ITV soap between
Lesley started her in the 70s, appearing in TV series such as A Little Princess, South Riding, Our Mutual Friend, Smuggler, Angels, and Doctor Who. Between Anna Kirkwall in Where the Heart Is.
In real life, Lesley is actually married to fellow Emmerdale star Chris Chittell, who plays Eric Pollard. The soap’s longest standing actor, he appeared in the recent Corriedale episode.
Kriss Dosanjh guest stars as Noel Jones
Who is Noel Jones?
Noel Jones is a suspect in the murder of Tilly. The fellow grief cruiser appears to have been stalking Tilly – but, of course, everything isn’t as it seems…
What is Kriss Dosanjh famous for?
Coventry-born Kriss Dosanjh, 63, guest stars as Noel Jones in the cast of The Good Ship Murders series 3 episode 5. The actor has been on our screens ever since
He is perhaps most famous for playing The Brigadier in the period drama The Larkins, a role he portrayed between 2021 and 2022 until the show was axed. Other notable roles include Mr Sandhu in the film This Is England and the subsequent spin-off series This Is England ’86, This Is England ’88, and This Is England ’90.
The actor has also appeared as Haalim Khalil in Intruder, George Pandhi in All Creatures Great & Small, Rohan Anwar in Steeltown Murders, and Moeen Qureshi in Ackley Bridge. He recently played Farid in Paris Has Fallen.
Soap fans will know him for playing Dr Khan in Emmerdale, Hassan Habeeb in Coronation Street, and Tilokh Verma in Doctors.
Full cast list for The Good Ship Murder series 3 episode 5:
Shayne Ward stars as Jack Grayling.
Catherine Tyldesley plays Kate Woods.
Zak Douglas is Jamil Al-Rashid.
Geoffrey Breton portrays Piers De Vreese.
Ross Adams plays Colin Smallwood.
Kiza Deen stars as Frankie Johnson.
James Barriscale is Captain Marlowe.
Yuna Shin portrays Dr. Sharon Tan.
Linda Robson stars as Elsa Crabtree.
Lesley Joseph portrays Tilly Webster.
Lesley Dunlop returns as Carole Merryweather.
Kriss Dosanjh guest stars as Noel Jones.
Vampire Academy’s Jan Zammit is Angel Garcia.
For Her Sins’ Shane Rowe stars as Emiliano Goncales.
Before We Die Mickey Angelov plays Goran Musovic.
