BEING the nation’s favourite pooch is no walk in the park.

First there is physio to stay limber – you wouldn’t want to let the fans down – then training, the endless engagements, red carpet appearances, not to mention the business of hobnobbing with Hollywood treasures like Morgan Freeman and squeezing in the odd get-together with Simon Cowell. And all in a day’s work.

Thankfully, despite his crammed schedule, since winning Britain’s Got Talent Pudsey has remained untainted by trappings of fame.

That being said, he is not completely immune to the odd diva moment.

“Pudsey likes his own space,” laughs his owner and side-kick Ashleigh Butler. “He is very different from what people think.”

Ashleigh received Pudsey as a birthday present from her mother. She had bred a litter and he was the last puppy still looking for a home.

The 11-year-old started training him immediately, teaching him tricks and, gradually, more complex dance routines and acrobatics.

“We started doing routines and went to Crufts. He’s always had very good stage presence - he loves working and learning new tricks,” says the 21-year-old. “He’s a natural.”

Four years ago, her mother and grandmother suggested she enter Britain’s Got Talent. But Ashleigh was hesitant: they had never performed in front of such a large live audience before. Her attention-loving dog, it turned out, was in his element.

“I was really nervous but, as soon we went on stage, it all went away,” she recalls. “It was very lucky because a lot of dogs would not be able to handle that kind of environment.” Pudsey turned on the charm offensive and they danced, hopped and flipped their way to victory.

Since winning BGT in 2012 there has been no stopping the duo. They have danced the conga with Kim Kardashian on TV, jetted to Hollywood with Simon Cowell, released an autobi-dog-raphy, and performed for the Queen twice.

“She actually recognised us, which was lovely,” says Ashleigh. “If you’re going to be star-struck, it’s going to be meeting the Queen.”

They have appeared on dozens of shows across the world, starred in a pantomime and rubbed shoulders with the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio and Nicole Kidman at the Cannes Film Festival.

In 2014, Pudsey also embarked on his first ‘solo’ project, Pudsey, the Movie. Comedian and BGT judge David Walliams lent him his voice in the film.

Now the canine superstar is poised to be reunited on stage with Ashleigh in Mission ImPUDSEYble.

In the family show, a gang of cat burglars commandeered by dastardly rogue Dr Feline break into the Bank of London and pilfer the bone of Ruff, which holds the secret to world domination.

Armed with a panoply of gadgets, special agent Pudsey ‘License to be adorable’ and his trusty companion must track them down and save the day – and all while performing their signature stunts, acrobatics and rip-roaring tricks.

“It’s so different from anything else we’ve done,” says Ashleigh. “It’s like a panto except not at Christmas. It has the same vibe.”

This new tour will give her a chance to steal some of the limelight from Pudsey and prove herself as an actress and performer in her own right. “Most of the time people are looking at Pudsey so it’s nice to go on stage and show them what I can do. I’ve always been into drama and dance and I did both at GSCE and A-level. I’m very lucky that what happened with Britain’s Got Talent put me in the position that I’m in now.

“Of course he still steals the limelight, people always go straight to the dog first. Two weeks ago we saw Simon Cowell, we were in a room full of people and he went straight for Pudsey. He’ll always have a special place in his heart I think. I don’t mind. I’m used to it,” she says.

Pudsey’s agility is beyond compare and often sees him mistaken for a much younger pup, but he is no tenderfoot at ten years old. While he is nowhere close to retirement, Ashleigh makes sure he stays as spry and quick on his paws as possible.

“He is a really fit ten but he is ten so we just make sure he’s as fit as possible. He goes to hydrotherapy and physio, we look after him.”

With the likes of Simon Cowell fawning over him and huge names queuing up for a stroke, Pudsey is being courted right, left and centre. But Ashleigh knows where his true allegiance lies.

“Pudsey is a one person dog so I’m not worried.”

  • Mission ImPUDSEYble runs at the Wyvern Theatre from Wednesday 30 to Thursday 31. To book call 01793 524481 or visit swindontheatres.co.uk.