Sheridan Smith has said she was warned to not add to her collection of dogs while hosting new BBC show Pooch Perfect.
The actress and television presenter said she already has six dogs and a number of donkeys living at her home.
Pooch Perfect sees 16 professional dog groomers compete over eight weeks to be crowned the best in their field in the UK.
“I have six dogs already and I was warned not to bring any dogs home from filming before we started,” Smith, 39, said.
“There was many a time where I wanted to, but I promised my mum, no more livestock, because I also have donkeys.
“The donkeys live at the field at the end of my garden, they are gorgeous. They are similar to dogs in that they are loving and loyal and they know their owner.
“Donkeys are always in pairs, you rarely see a donkey on their own, so we have two sisters and a couple, they always stay together. I think it’s so sweet and romantic.”
Smith said the dog groomers take the competition “really seriously”, adding that it is their “livelihoods at stake”.
She added that she “had no idea how much skill goes into it”.
“They really love dogs and you see how compassionate they are with them on the show, they are doing a job they love, and they are brilliant at it,” she said.
“They really are the best in the country, a lot of them know each other from the circuit, it’s a tough old game.
“They don’t know what some of the challenges will be either, so they are walking in blind, I am there for moral support but the judges are very strict.”
Pooch Perfect starts on BBC One at 8pm on Thursday.