THIS Morning chef Phil Vickery was left astonished today when a hero dog helped himself to his blueberry tart – live on air.
The 60-year-old chef was stuck behind his kitchen counter and couldn’t stop Vesper, a hero guide dog, from licking and munching on his sugary dessert.
The mishap took place as presenters Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby told viewers what was coming up on today’s show.
As the camera cut to Phil, viewers heard him gasp, and he explained he’d spotted Vesper tucking into a slice of his tart across the room, which had been prepared earlier.
The adorable dog sniffed and nibbled the buttery biscuit crust and took a chunk out of the whipped blueberry filling, with Phil later showing the damage to viewers.
Phil said: “Look, he’s taken a big chunk out of the side of it there, look” pointing to the Golden Retriever’s bite marks.
And Holly said: “He’s had a good old lick then”.
This Morning fans were also delighted to meet the hero dog, who was on the show with his blind six-year-old owner.
Rubin Hellier-Smith, from Crickhowell, south Wales is registered blind and was matched with three-year-old ‘buddy dog’ Vesper through Guide Dogs Cymru last year.
Vesper has undergone training to become a guide dog but he was so friendly that he couldn’t be signed up.
Instead he joined the Buddy Dog scheme, which matches animals to children with sight loss.
Rubin’s mum Eve, 31, explained: “The scheme is amazing. It gives children and young people with visual impairments an incredible friendship and independence as they get older. We had lots of advice and support.
“Vesper helped to keep all our spirits up during the winter lockdown. We took him out daily so he helped keep me motivated.
“He loves his long walks with us and when we are at home, he cuddles up to Rubin on the sofa. They are best friends.
“Vesper has settled in better than we could have imagined, we initially had him for a trial period but he really has made himself at home.”
Sharing their reactions on Twitter, one viewer said: “The dog having a good old lick
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Another wrote: “This is the reason why you should adopt a guide dog. They change people’s lives for the better
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