Ashleigh & Pudsey 'Got Talent' interview: 'He loves ham sandwiches'

The dancing dog duo talk to Digital Spy.

Simon Cowell finally got his wish on Saturday night as the nation picked a dancing dog as the Britain's Got Talent 2012 champion. Pudsey the dog and his owner Ashleigh are now £500,000 richer (that's an awful lot of bonios) and if Cowell gets his way, Pudsey will be heading to Hollywood to be groomed as the new Lassie very soon.

Digital Spy caught up with the BGT winners on Sunday afternoon - Pudsey was in a fairly quiet mood, so Ashleigh handled the questions - to talk about their big plans for the future.

Ken McKay/TalkbackThames/Rex Features

How does it feel one day on after winning such a big prize?
"It is mad. It still hasn't sunk in yet. We had a bit of a party after the show. I saw my friends and family and we had a lot of fun."

Have you spoken to Mr Cowell yet?
"We had an interview with ITV2, but Simon really wanted to meet me and Pudsey, so he had to wait about an hour to speak to us. And apparently Simon never waits for anyone! He had to hang around, but he was absolutely lovely. Had a picture and a hug with Pudsey."

Does he want to take you over to LA with him?
"We're going to have to wait and see. Nothing is for certain yet."

Watch our video interview with Ashleigh & Pudsey:

What are you going to do with the £500,000?
"It is a crazy amount of money. The first thing I'm going to do is buy a new lead for Pudsey. I lost the other one backstage somewhere, so he needs a new one. It is a dream of mine to set up a business in films for dogs, so that's what I'd really like to spend the money on."

Will you be leaving education to do this full-time?
"I'm currently finishing my AS levels at the moment. I've got my first exam on Friday. I just need to wait and see where this win takes us. It's going to be a hard one. I've known the other students for years and it would be hard to say goodbye, so we'll have to wait and see."

Have your friends been supportive?
"All my friends are really supportive. They've seen me on Crufts before, but never anything like this .I know about 300 of them went to my school last night to watch the show on a big screen, which is really sweet and nice."

Did you come up with the idea of the Mission: Impossible-themed routine?
"Yeah, I had that idea right from the beginning. We designed all the see-saw on the judges table, the theming and all of that. It was something I'd always wanted to do. And Pudsey absolutely loved that routine. It worked brilliantly."

Ken McKay/TalkbackThames/Rex Features

Pudsey gets most of the attention, but you were great on stage last night. Do you have much performance experience?
"I have done bits. I do drama, dance and singing. But I do get nervous. Because Pudsey doesn't get nervous, I get nervous for the two of us. When I get on that stage though, they disappear and I go out and do my best."

My dog gets scared by everything. Does nothing frighten Pudsey?
"No, he is pretty much fearless. It would take a lot to scare him! He can be a bit of a wimp at home. He lets the other dogs push him about a bit. But other than that he's quite good."

Does he ever misbehave?
"No, no. The only thing he's done more recently is trying to sneak upstairs more. He's not allowed upstairs, but he always tries to get there. He never gives up!"

Do you think he has what it takes to become the new Uggie or Lassie and do movies?
"I think that would be perfect for Pudsey. Whenever he's needed to hold for a camera, he does it. He's got the right temperament for it."

What would your advice be for kids who have been inspired by you and now want their own Pudsey dog?
"I think if you want a dog, go get a dog. But just be prepared. They really are a lot of hard work and they are your responsibility. If you get a dog, you'll need a lot of dedication and patience."

Does Pudsey mind all the extra attention and fuss he's getting?
"He really doesn't mind it. Sometimes it gets a bit much and people start grabbing him! People forget sometimes that he is a dog at the end of the day. But overall he is loving it."

Ken McKay/TalkbackThames/Rex Features

What are Pudsey's favourite things in life?
"He loves ham sandwiches. He loves agility challenges. He loves walks - I swear he's psychic about walks - as soon as I put on my shoes, he starts jumping around and barking at me. He's like, 'Oh my God we're going out!"

Will you be sending Pudsey into space to perform? Simon Cowell promised he'd pay for the winner to do it.
"No! At the end of the day, he is a dog. Simon isn't flying Pudsey off into space."

Would you and Pudsey fancy doing pop music videos with Syco acts like One Direction?
"That is a different idea. I hadn't heard that one yet. Actually, yes, I'd love that. We'd love to do a pop video. That sounds like a really good idea."

Is it true you've got a big money dog food deal in the bag?
"There's nothing set in stone yet. You'll have to wait and see."

Is it true that you've had to get extra insurance out on him?
"He is already insured, but I think he may be worth a little bit more now!"

Is it true that he fell asleep minutes before his big performance on Saturday?
"Yes he did backstage. He was in his Portakabin. I thought there were still two or three acts to go, but someone said, 'Ashleigh, you're up next'. So I had to run and get him and wake him up. But he was fine. Two minutes later, he was on stage performing."

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