TOP DOGS OF FILM AND TV CELEBRATED Pooches that went from wags to riches

THESE mutts all ended up top dog after finding

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stardom on the TV or big screen.

On National Dog Day TAMMY HUGHES celebrates man’s best friend by taking a look at some of the world’s most famous four-legged stars. THE original Lassie was actually not a girl dog but a boy rough collie called Pal.

Pal was rejected for the title role of the first Lassie film Lassie Come Home, due to his gender, and was cast as a stunt dog instead. But he impressed producers so much they ended up releasing the female collie and using Pal instead. PUDSEY shot to stardom after winning Britain’s Got Talent 2012.

The border collie, bichon frise and Chinese crested cross, and his owner Ashleigh Butler, stole the show with their Mission Impossible dance routine. In October 2012, a book entitled Pudsey: My Autobiography was released, chronicling the pooch’s rise to fame.

He hit the silver screen in 2014, taking the leading role in his own movie, Pudsey The Dog: The Movie. He died of leukaemia last year, aged 11. MILLIONS of children grew up watching Blue Peter’s best-loved dog Shep.

The border collie, became the main Blue Peter dog when his predecessor Petra died in 1977.

He was known for his close bond with Blue Peter presenter John Noakes whose catchphrase became “Get Down Shep!”

Shep died in 1987, but Noakes became emotional while talking about him more than 11 years later while on The Weakest Link. ROBBIE Jackson was inseparable from his pet pooch affectionately named Wellard (as in “well-hard”).

Wellard featured on EastEnders for 14 years and was the show’s longestserving pet.

But Wellard wasn’t one dog, but four. And they were all girls. Three generations of dog played the role with a fourth brought in as a replacement. TOTO was played in The Wizard Of Oz by plucky cairn terrier Terry.

He was born at the height of the Great Depression and earned more on the film than most human AS Demelza’s loyal dog, Garrick is the shaggy star of hit BBC series Poldark. But

actors. Judy Garland formed a bond with the pooch which nursed her back to health after she broke her foot on set. Judy pleaded with owner Carl Spitz to let her adopt the little dog but he refused.

the pooch had a ruff start in life. Five-year-old Barley ended up in Battersea Dogs’ Home as a young pup.He was rescued and taught to be a stunt dog and has appeared in Undercover and Fantastic Beasts and Where ToFind Them.