Britain's Got Talent winners Ashleigh Butler and her gifted dog Pudsey became the ITV show's icons after they emerged victorious in 2012, making them the first dog act to win. The duo captivated viewers with Pudsey, a unique Border Collie, Bichon Frise and Chinese Crested crossbreed, showcasing remarkable skills that won over the judges. Judge Alesha Dixon was especially touched by one of their performance, when she said: "You're showing people what dogs can do when they have good homes and are loved. I can't cope. You're the ones to beat." While fellow judge Amanda Holden was equally touched and declared: "Pudsey is everybody's best friend, he's just gorgeous." Their extraordinary dance performance to the Mission Impossible theme song in the finals clinched their triumph against singers Jonathan and Charlotte, leading a satisfied Simon Cowell to express: "My life's work is now complete." Following their win, Ashleigh, who was a sixth-form student at the time, modestly insisted that Pudsey was the real celebrity. In an interview with the Mirror two years after their win, Ashleigh said: "If I'm on my own, people will look at me and kind of know they recognise me from somewhere, but they're not sure. But if I'm with Pudsey, then yes, they recognise us." After their remarkable performances on Britain's Got Talent, Pudsey and his owner, Ashleigh, managed to accumulate a fortune, signing a book deal worth a whopping £350,000. This money went directly into their savings which was already significant from their £500,000 BGT winnings and a £150,000 cheque for performing in a panto that Christmas, according to OK!. For the latest TV and showbiz gossip sign up to our newsletter. Additionally, the duo had the unique opportunity to perform for The Queen at the Royal Variety performance and during her Diamond Jubilee celebrations. They wore the guest judge's hat on ITV2 shows Top Dog Model and That Dog Can Dance and co-hosted the children's show Who Let the Dogs Out?. Amidst all this, Ashleigh had the chance to play the Duchess in David Walliams' adaptation of his children's book Mr Stink and make an appearance on a celebrity edition of Channel 4's First Dates. In 2014, the duo starred in their own film, Pudsey: The Movie, where David Walliams lent his voice to Pudsey. And for three years consecutively, Ashleigh and Pudsey performed in productions of Dick Whittington and acted as Dorothy and Toto in a pantomime version of The Wizard of Oz. Despite reaching great success, Ashleigh faced profound sadness with the loss of Pudsey in July 2017 to acute leukaemia. Mourning the loss of her beloved hound, she posted: "I can't honestly believe I am writing these words. My handsome man has gone, and I don't know what to do without him." She continued: "My heart is broken, and I don't know how I'm going to get through this. "It hurts so much, that my handsome, incredible Pudsey Bear will never be by my side, where he belongs, again. We only had 11 years together, but they were the best years ever. He was my one in a billion dog that will never be replaced. I don't need to write all of his endless accomplishments on here to prove how incredible he was for me. Sleep tight my handsome man, I love you lots xxxx." But as life went on, Ashleigh found another furry companion called Sully. The two reached major success in Crufts in March 2018 and returned to the Britain's Got Talent stage on BGT: The Champions the same year, but only managed to achieve third place, missing out on the final. By now, Ashleigh has ventured into dog training as a profession. The star has been keeping fans updated via Instagram and has clinched brand deals with big names such as SWAGK9 and Natural Instinct Food. You can watch ITV's Britain Got Talent on ITV 1 and ITV X at 7pm on Saturday, April 12.