Countryfile presenter Matt Baker has announced the "incredibly sad" loss of his family's dog, Bob, in an emotional post on Instagram.
Sharing a slideshow of pictures of the border collie from when he was a puppy, Matt said he was heartbroken at the sad loss and paid tribute to the impact the pet had on his family, including his wife Nicola Mooney, and their children, Luke, 18, and Molly, 16.
In the caption, the The One Show presenter wrote: "It's with a very heavy heart that I'm letting you know our wonderful Bob is no longer with us. He's been gone a while but I haven't been able to talk about it as I've been finding it so incredibly sad.
"Bob was a brilliant dog. He was there for me with his gentle soul as the ultimate companion through some of the greatest chapters of my life from raising our kids to all the changes we made on our family farm.
"It's broken my heart but I feel hugely grateful to have had him in our lives and I thank him from the bottom of my heart for everything he's taught me and brought to our family.
"I'm sure all you dog lovers will agree the reason we love our dogs so much is because the only time they break our hearts is when they leave us. RIP Bob X"
The broadcaster's wife, Nicola, also added in the comments: "What a dog. We miss him so much."
© Getty ImagesMatt's friends share their condolences
Matt's friends were quick to take to the comments section to share their support for the presenter, with Ben Fogle penning: "Oh, Matt. I'm so sorry. Sending you so much love," while Angelica Bell wrote: "Sorry to hear this Matt. Sending love to you and the family xx"
Gabby Logan commented: "Sending you lots of love," while Jenni Falconer added: "Oh, so sorry to hear this Matt. Sending love to you all."
Bob the border collie
Bob was a big part of Matt's life, with the presenter often taking to Instagram to share snippets of how the working dog helped out at his farmhouse home in Hertfordshire, where they keep livestock like chickens and sheep.
In a day-in-the-life video, Matt shared what Bob gets up to during lambing season. "Springtime on the farm is Bob's favourite time of year. He may be getting on in years, but I always see his youthful side coming out when he’s around newborn lambs and new life on the farm," he said.
