Pooch smooch

CRUFTS Channel 4, 8pm TIME to honour our pedigree chums – it’s the doggy Oscars.

The contestants have glossier hair than any celebrity on the red carpet, hopefully there will be less bitch fighting and certainly we won’t have to put up with any yawnsome acceptance speeches.

Dog biscuit seller Charles Cruft, who founded the show 126 years ago, could never have known his event would become such a huge success.

Over four days at the NEC in Birmingham, canines compete in categories such as agility and obedience.

Every breed, from gundog to terrier, is represented, from great big scruffy crossbreeds to tiny little Chihuahuas that fit in a handbag – although we’re CHAMP Marie Burns with Devon fairly sure there isn’t an “Accessories” category.

And if you prefer the scruffier mutts, you’ll love Scruffts, which is especially for crossbreeds or mixes.

Clare Balding and sprinter Iwan Thomas will bring us all the action and awards. They’ll be joined by guests including supervet Noel Fitzpatrick.

And comedian and doglover (at least we hope so) Alan Carr will be making his Crufts debut to host a new segment alongside Clare.

Today’s opening show welcomes the Terrier and Hound groups, where favourites such as the Staffordshire bull terrier and the whippet will have their time in the ring.

Clare also meets last year’s winner, West Highland terrier Devon, who is competing in the Eukanuba World Challenge – a world championships for dogs. And she meets Molly, the world’s first cat detection dog.

Kate Beavan and Nim Patel team up to talk about dog health and welfare, while Iwan reports on the importance of dog training and socialisation, and Frank Kane shares top tips.