Britain’s answer to Lassie, Britain’s Got Talent winners Ashleigh Butler & Pudsey the dog, has made an exciting new career move by accepting an offer to appear in panto this year, according to the Sun newspaper.

Whilst the sane members of the human race wonder desperately when the novelty of this dancing mutt will finally wear off, those less sane of you who are desperate to see this exploited house pet change costumes and tread his first theatre boards can do so in Woking, Surrey, when he plays a supporting role (as a dog we imagine, but this story is so bizarre you never know, he may end up being one half of a very short panto horse!) alongside owner Asheligh Butler (she’s doing all right out of all this, isn’t she, cashing  in on all this exposure, all the while paying the real star of the show instalments of his cut in scooby-snacks!) as she plays Dick Wittington’s love interest Alice Fitzwarren this Christmas, opposite  Britain’s Got More Talent presenter Stephen Mulhern, who will play idle Jack.

Since winning the talent show, Ashleigh and Pudsey have made several appearances and have even begun writing the dog’s biography, which we are sure can only list his favourite parks and tress to pee up against, but the 16-year old pet owner (which lets face it, is all she is – would she have won if it was just her dancing on stage, no!  And yet she gets to star in panto, do you know how many soap actors were banking on that extra salary injection?) insists that this new adventure is the most exciting to date.

Ashleigh said: “We are so excited to be performing in our first pantomime.

“Drama and dance have been a big part of my life for many years and my grandma has taken us to the pantomime every Christmas for as long as I can remember.

“Being part of this panto is a very exciting prospect and I can’t wait to take to the stage with Pudsey.”

Calum Kemp, the general manager of the New Victoria Theatre in Woking, added: “We are absolutely thrilled to be welcoming the sensational duo Ashleigh and Pudsey and entertainer and magician Stephen Mulhern to our theatre for Dick Whittington.”

Still, the only saving grace is the hope that the curse of the Great British panto, putting the final nail in the coffin of failed actors careers, will strike again, and the nation can go back to normal moaning about the price of petrol and obsessing over real reality stars, rather than a dog!

Watch Ashleigh and Pudsey’s winning Britain’s Got Talent performance in the clip below: