Celebrities pose with their dogs to raise money for charity

A portrait photographer has captured a series of UK celebrities with their dogs as part of a new charity project.

Andy Gotts, whose work features in the National Portrait Gallery’s permanent collection, has photographed familiar faces including Simon Cowell, David Walliams, Tilda Swinton and Fiona Bruce.

The project is in collaboration with Guide Dogs, a British charity that matches trained guide dogs with blind and partially sighted people.

It marks the organisation’s 90^th anniversary and the launch of its Guide Dogs 90 Appeal, which is seeking funds to ensure it can provide its services to people with sight loss for the next 90 years.

Walliams was photographed sitting on a sofa, cuddling and kissing his border terriers Bert and Ernie. Walliams said the pups mean “everything” to him.

“I can only imagine the incredible bond a person has with their guide dog,” he said.

“Guide Dogs is such an amazing charity and is one of the first charities you hear about as a child.”

Cowell sat for the photographer with his four Yorkshire terriers, Squiddly, Diddly, Freddy and Daisy.

Gotts also captured a black and white portrait of Tilda Swinton with her springer spaniel, named Louis.

Guide Dogs found its first owner for a trained dog in 1931. The charity said it is responsible for 8,400 puppies and dogs at any one time.

Gotts said that given the importance of sight for his career, he has long wanted to help people who have a visual impairment.

“Needless to say, for my career, sight is important, so I have always thought that helping a charity like Guide Dogs that supports people with a vision impairment is something I would love to do,” he said.

English actor Phil Daniels posed with his dog Chico on his lap.

“My dog has been very important in my life. I lost my partner nine years ago to cancer when Chico was a young dog and he has been my companion ever since and is 14 now and still going strong.

“He’s a Spanish stray that needed looking after. I tell people he’s a black Russell. Me and Chico think that’s funny.

“I think the Guide Dogs charity do an amazing job raising awareness, funds and sponsorship getting the message across that we need more guide dogs,” he said.

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