Gaby Roslin has shared the emotional moments that left her moved while filming her new ITV series, The Joy of Pets. The television presenter fronts the show alongside vet Dr Bolu Eso, travelling across the country to explore the extraordinary relationships between people and their pets.
Therapy pets leave Gaby 'blown away'
For Gaby, it was the stories of animals providing comfort and support to vulnerable people that resonated most. The former Big Breakfast host meets therapy pets during the Sunday morning show, which starts next week.
She said: "My cousin takes her dog Crumble into hospices, care homes and to meet young people, so we found out more about that. Oh my word – these animals! They fix, help, love and nurture. It’s just incredible. That totally blew me away."
Impact on dementia and autism care
Gaby said witnessing the impact animals can have as they visit dementia and care homes, as well as those who spend time with people with special educational needs and autistic people, was "just incredible", reports the Mirror. She said their presence can provide comfort, connection and reassurance, with animals often becoming an important source of emotional support.
The series explores Britain's enduring love of animals, with pets now living in more than half of homes across the UK. Throughout their journey, Gaby and Dr Bolu meet devoted owners and their much-loved pets, uncovering heartwarming stories of friendship, loyalty and humour. In some extraordinary cases, they also meet animals that have played a vital role in helping or even saving their owners' lives.
Medical detection dogs fascinate Dr Bolu
Dr Bolu was particularly fascinated by the work of medical detection dogs, which use their remarkable sense of smell to identify changes associated with certain medical conditions. He highlighted the incredible abilities of these dogs and the potential they have to detect conditions, including cancer and Parkinson's disease. But, for Dr Bolu, their importance goes beyond what they are trained to detect.
Sharing her thoughts on the overall feel of the show, host Gaby said in a statement: "I cannot begin to tell you how thrilled I am to be making this show. All my favourite things wrapped up together - television, pets, JOY and I get to work with the magical Dr Bolu. This is a show bursting with positivity. And I am so delighted to be working with ITV again!"
Expert vet Dr. Bolu said: "I know firsthand how much we are a nation of pet lovers! They’re at the centre of so many of our lives, bringing us joy and unconditional love, and I’m incredibly excited to be making the show which celebrates just that! Looking forward for viewers to see the incredible stories to come!"
The Joy of Pets airs on Sundays at 11.30am from August 23 on ITV1.
