Entertainment

BGT judges share touching tributes after winning dog Pudsey dies

David Walliams and Amanda Holden fondly remembered the 2012 canine champ.
David Walliams and Amanda Holden fondly remembered the 2012 canine champ. David Walliams and Amanda Holden fondly remembered the 2012 canine champ.

Britain’s Got Talent judges have paid tribute to 2012 champion Pudsey, after the death of the dog was announced.

David Walliams and Amanda Holden both took to Twitter to say goodbye to one of the nation’s favourite pets and send their thoughts to his owner, Ashleigh Butler.

Holden shared a picture of the pair with the full panel of judges, including Simon Cowell and Alesha Dixon, and later followed it with: “My thoughts go out to Ashley and this little talented ‘human with fur’ #RIPPudsey”.

Walliams posted: “Farewell to a very special dog that the nation fell in love with. #Pudsey @BGT”.

The news was announced by the ITV show’s bosses via Twitter on Friday.

Pudsey – a border collie, bichon frise and Chinese crested cross – charmed viewers with Ashleigh during their routine to the Mission Impossible theme, and he became the first dog act to win the series.

Ashleigh and Pudsey had worked together for 11 years.

In October 2012, a book titled Pudsey: My Autobidography, was released, chronicling the talented pet’s rise to fame.

Success continued for one of the nation’s favourite pooches as he hit the big screen in 2014, taking the leading role in his own movie, Pusdey The Dog: The Movie.

Crufts 2016
Crufts 2016
Best friends Ashleigh and Pudsey (Fabio De Paola/PA)

The pair also journeyed to America following their big win, where they performed on America’s Got Talent and appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

As the news broke, fans across the country joined in a flood of tributes to the “amazing” dog and sent well-wishes to Ashleigh and her family.

Ashleigh and Pudsey had delighted fans with a brief re-appearance in a promotional video for this year’s season of Britain’s Got Talent.