The dog who famously growled “sausages” on That’s Life! only “spoke” because its owner was annoying him by gripping his throat, it has been revealed.
Co-hosts of the BBC One show Dame Esther Rantzen, 83, and Paul Heiney, 74, have admitted there were fears the stunt may have been cruel. But it was allowed to be aired after the director saw the pooch’s tail “wagging” while it was being shot.
Broadcaster Paul, who interviewed the dog and its owner Paul Allen in 1979, said: “I’ll tell you the truth… the dog did say ‘sausages’ – not that the dog knew what sausages meant. Paul used to cradle the dog in his arms with his hand underneath the dog’s throat and the dog started to growl because the dog didn’t like this.
“By interrupting the growl, by gently squeezing the dog’s throat the growl was interrupted so you got ‘sausages’.” In a chat looking back on her years on That’s Life!, Dame Esther admitted her co-host and the director of the item were worried the stunt was animal cruelty.
(Image: BBC)
She said about getting a call from the maker of the show when the segment was being filmed in Leeds: “I said to him, with my zoological knowledge coming to the fore, ‘What is his tail doing?’ He said, ‘Hang on Esther’, and I heard a distant ‘sausages’ and then he came back to the phone and he said it’s wagging.”
(Image: BBC)
The moment – shown 45 years ago – has gone down in history as TV gold and is still beloved by millions of TV viewers. Yorkshire terrier Prince became an overnight national treasure when he barked his dietary requirement on a 1979 episode of That’s Life!
Imitations of his growl of “shoshigish” also instantly becoming a catchphrase in offices and school playgrounds across Britain. Record company EMI even released a single featuring the dog’s “words”.
(Image: Sten Rosenlund/REX/Shutterstock)
Prince’s owner was seen on That’s Life! being asked if what he was doing to the mutt was hurting his animal. Paul denied it was – but his dog could be heard growling in irritation as he manipulated Prince’s throat.
He also claimed the dog had “said” his brother’s name Anthony – as well as “jam” and “George” – as he gripped its neck and moved its jaw to make his “speak” the words.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
