So followers of the Co Laois native have recently been asking how Noel Fitzpatrick’s beloved dog Kiera had been after a knocking down incident outside his U.K based practice in Surrey and today he broke the sad news.

The 53-year-old said: “It is with profound sadness I share the news that Keira, my beloved companion of nearly 14 years, has passed away.

“My heart is truly broken. She was my best friend in the whole wide world.

“My friend Amy and her son Kyle are broken-hearted too since they have shared her guardianship with me all this time.

“We were so very blessed and lucky to have had her in our lives, lighting the way with her magnificent unconditional love.”

It brings it all home about how much we love our pets and how heartbreaking it is to see them in pain or indeed how hard it is when they eventually pass.

We wish Noel all the best and hope to see him on our screens in the not too distant future.