Britain's Got Talent winners Jules O'Dwyer and her dog Matisse put on another canine extravaganza at this year's Royal Variety Performance…
What's life been like for you since winning this year's Britain's Got Talent with your dog Matisse?
"It's been a real rollercoaster. I've always had a fantastic bond with my border collie Matisse and my other dogs, and I entered BGT solely so that my act could just be seen on national TV, so winning the show was a bonus. I was disappointed with some of the negative press attention afterwards but I've had such a positive reaction that it kind of puts all that to bed, really."
How are you feeling about appearing at this year's Royal Variety Performance – hosted by comic Jack Whitehall – alongside the likes of Kylie Minogue, Elton John and One Direction?
"It's like the icing on the cake – it's a real honour and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The competition element of BGT isn't there anymore, so I just want to go out there, enjoy it, and show people my skills as a trainer and how clever and talented my dogs are!"
What hints can you give us about your routine on the night?
"Matisse has so many friends and he wanted to invite them to join in, so there will actually be eight dogs in this performance – the biggest is a German Shepherd, the smallest is a Chihuahua. Having that many dogs on stage at once is certainly a challenge but as long as there's good communication, all my props are in the right place and the timing's spot on, the routine really works and is a lot of fun."
Your winning BGT performance included an impressive tightrope trick. Are you planning any major stunts for this one?
"The Royal Albert Hall is a fantastic building but the stage is very small, so it's not possible to build anything like the set we had for the BGT final. So we've had to work around that but I think we've created a very sweet, endearing little story that I'm sure will touch the hearts of the nation once again."
Are you looking forward to meeting Prince Harry afterwards?
"Yes, I am. I don't know what I'll say to him – though it's usually the case when I'm stood there with my dogs, that people just want to talk to them. So you should probably ask Matisse what he plans to say to Prince Harry!"
The Royal Variety Performance can be seen on Tuesday December 8 at 7.30pm on ITV.
