'He went downhill so quickly'
BGT’s Ashleigh Butler breaks down in tears over dead Pudsey as she appears with new dog Sully on This Morning
The dog handler insists she's now not changing his name to Pudsey
BRITAIN'S Got Talent favourite Ashleigh Butler broke down in tears on today's This Morning as she remembered the good times she had with her late dog Pudsey, who died this week aged 11.
The talented dog handler, 22, also introduced her other dog Sullivan to viewers, with the four-year-old pooch taking on the mantle from Pudsey.
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Recalling the moment she realised Pudsey wasn't well, she said: "I was at a dog show with him last weekend. On the Monday he wasn't himself and was sleeping a lot. I took him to the vets on Tuesday and between Tuesday and Thursday he went downhill so quickly.
"On the Thursday it got to the point where he couldn't even lift his head."
As images flashed across the screen of the pair meeting the Queen and being photographed at glitzy events, Ashleigh sobbed: "He gave me opportunities that I never thought I'd ever have."
However, things took a more positive turn when she was joined on the sofa by Sully, whom she will now perform with.
She told hosts Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes: "Sully will stay as Sully. I can't change him into Pudsey. He grew up with Pudsey. Sully really looked up to him."
Sully is the dog world agility champion and won the small dogs agility jumping round at Crufts in March.
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Professor Jonathan Shalit, whose company Roar represents the act, said: “Pudsey’s passing has saddened us all.
“He was a remarkable dog. The combination of Ashleigh and Pudsey was magical.
“Once Ashleigh’s heartache has eased, she looks forward to continuing with her career.
“Ashleigh will be seen starring with Pudsey (Sully) in Jack and the Beanstalk this Christmas at the High Wycombe Swan Theatre.”
Sully made his stage debut in a panto last year alongside Ashleigh and Pudsey and performs at corporate events.
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Ashleigh and Pudsey — a border collie, bichon frise, Chinese crested powderpuff cross — from Wellingborough, Northants, wowed viewers as they won BGT in 2012.
They were described by Simon Cowell as the best dog act he had ever seen.
Pudsey made £1.5million during a whirlwind showbiz career.
He appeared on both sides of the Atlantic, flew on private jets and performed a conga with Kim Kardashian.
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He starred in his own movie and even guest edited The Sun’s Bizarre column.
Ashleigh said: “After Pudsey’s short battle against leukaemia, I had to make the hardest decision of my life to let my beautiful boy go to sleep.
“From the minute he was born he brought nothing but joy to me and, as a winner of BGT, millions of others who adored him too.
“No words can express just how much I will miss him.”
A source said: “Pudsey was performing as recently as last week. But Ashleigh noticed he wasn’t well.
“On Wednesday they discovered cancerous cells and made the painful recommendation that he be put down.”
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