Pudsey, the dancing dog who won Britain’s Got Talent in 2012 with owner Ashleigh Butler, has died at the age of 11. ITV confirmed the news on Friday, stating that the border collie, bichon frise and Chinese crested cross was put down after a short battle with leukaemia.
Ashleigh Butler paid tribute to her “beautiful boy”, saying: “I had to make the hardest decision of my life to let my beautiful boy go to sleep at the age of 11. 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. He changed my life and I have so many wonderful memories of our time together. He will always be in my heart.”
Pudsey and Ashleigh, from Wellingborough in Northamptonshire, became famous for their dance routine to the Mission Impossible theme. They were the first dog act to win the competition and later appeared on America’s Got Talent and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. A book titled 'Pudsey: My Autobidography' was released in 2012, and he starred in his own film, 'Pudsey The Dog: The Movie', in 2014.
Tributes poured in from fans and celebrities. Britain’s Got Talent judge David Walliams wrote on Twitter: “Farewell to a very special dog that the nation fell in love with.” The official Britain’s Got Talent account said: “We are saddened to hear that today we lost Pudsey, a most marvellous winner. Our thoughts are with Ashleigh.”
