Was it a porker?
More than 40 years on from that infamous clip, we see whether the That’sLife dog really could say ‘sausages’
Before social media made stars of pooches like Jiffpom, Doug the Pug and Tuna, there was another pup who was already a national hit.
In 1978, during a segment of the BBC’s satirical consumer affairs programme That’s Life!, we were introduced to Yorkshire Terrier Prince, and his owner, Paul Allen. Prince became known as the ‘talking dog’ – thanks to his barking ability to say ‘sausages’! Such was Prince’s popularity that it wasn’t long before the word became a catchphrase across the country.
Naturally, viewers were curious as to how Prince had learned his skills as a talking dog… Now, over four decades later, the truth has finally come out in a BBC Sounds series. The latest episode of The Reunion has brought together leading figures from the TV programme, including presenter, Dame Esther Rantzen, 83.
‘I had no intention of being an on-screen presenter at all,’ she says in the podcast. ‘My teeth were too big; I
THE TRUTH HAS FINALLY COME OUT ON A PODCAST
wasn’t ladylike enough…’ Despite her early misgivings, Dame Esther remained at the helm for all 442 episodes of the popular and topical show.
Paul Heiney, now 74, was the lucky presenter who got the chance to interview Prince and his owner, who hailed from Leeds.
‘I’ll tell you the truth,’ he says on The Reunion. ‘The dog did actually say “sausages” – not that Prince knew what the word meant.’ Paul explained that Mr Allen would hold Prince in his arms and place his hand gently under the pooch’s throat – which would make him start to growl. With a little manipulation of Prince’s throat and jaw the growl was made to sound as if he was saying words.
When asked how Prince came to say ‘sausages’ in the first place, Paul explained on That’s Life! while cradling the infamous dog: ‘George next door gives him sausages… he comes out every Thursday with a plate of sausages and puts them on the back doorstep and Prince goes and has a good tuck in.’
The smart dog was supposedly even able to recognise Dame Esther from a picture that her co-presenter showed to Prince!
It was TV gold but there was some concern at the time about whether it might look cruel. Esther asked what the dog’s tail was doing during the filming of the report and while he was ‘speaking’. The crew confirmed Prince was wagging his tail throughout!
The Reunion’s presenter, Kirsty Wark, joked that the report was ‘fake news’ and despite Peter Bazalgette, who worked on the show, admitting that he’d been told Paul Allen was a ventriloquist, Paul Heiney is still adamant that Prince could talk.
After the episode of That’s Life! aired, Prince became a national treasure and a real talking point.
But over time, he faded from the public eye and is believed to have died a few years later. RIP Prince, we really hope you are reunited with some sausages in doggy heaven!
● The Reunion is available on BBC Sounds.