Strictly Come Dancing star Maisie Smith has confirmed the death of her dog Betty in a heartbreaking tribute.
The former EastEnders actor announced the sad news yesterday (July 15) on Instagram, sharing a reel of photos and clips of her late family member.
"Betty Smith, my beautiful girl," she wrote. "How can I squeeze 18 wonderful years into 10 photos?! You did so well baby girl, now you can be with your brother again xxx."
Related: Former EastEnders star Maisie Smith updates fans on whether she'd return
Maisie's boyfriend Max George wrote in the comments: "What a gorgeous girl. She was one of a kind. I’m sure she’s bouncing about with Benny already. Loved her, love you my darling."
Max shared his own separate tribute on his Instagram page with a sweet photo of himself holding Betty up next to a Christmas tree.
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"Sleep well beautiful girl," he captioned the post. "Thank you for 2 years of wonderful memories and 18 years of joy with my Mais and her gorgeous family."
Related: Strictly’s Zara McDermott responds to Graziano Di Prima exit
Maisie and Max have been in a relationship since 2022. Back in May, she opened up about her other half's romantic side.
"He is definitely The One. He's just perfect. We are very, very happy," Maisie told The Sun. "He's so romantic, which I really wouldn't have expected from him, but he really is.
"I love surprises. Every week he gets me flowers because he knows that I've got three vases in the house that need filling."
Related: Strictly Come Dancing star Rose Ayling-Ellis lands huge new TV job
Earlier this year, the pair revealed that they would both star in the touring version of Jeff Wayne's The War of the Worlds, which will hit arenas next year.
"CANNOT wait for this," they announced in a joint Instagram post. "Heading to arenas all over the UK we will be playing the iconic parts of Parson Nathanial & Beth in the infamous production of Jeff Waynes 'The War Of The Worlds'."
Strictly Come Dancing will return later this year on BBC One, while spin-off Strictly: It Takes Two airs on weeknights on BBC Two. Both shows are available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
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Sam is a freelance reporter and sub-editor who has a particular interest in movies, TV and music. After completing a journalism Masters at City University, London, Sam joined Digital Spy as a reporter, and has also freelanced for publications such as NME and Screen International. Sam, who also has a degree in Film, can wax lyrical about everything from Lord of the Rings to Love Is Blind, and is equally in his element crossing every 't' and dotting every 'i' as a sub-editor.
