Mike moved to Florida because his wife, Cassie Winters, suffered from arthritis and Bernie went solo in the UK, signing a contract with Thames Television. Bernie's biggest success was his eponymous series where his comedy "partner" was a St Bernard dog named Schnorbitz. Bernie Winters owned and trained Schnorbitz, and the dog played a major part in his later career. The comic Harry Hill also introduced a St Bernard named Schnorbitz into his act, although he was keen to stress that it was not the same dog.