'I lost my best friend' - TV presenter says death of his dog was 'unique and profound'

18 May 2026

TV presenter and mental health advocate Matt Johnson said the death of his dog was like losing his best friend and reason for getting up in the morning.

The 43-year-old said his pug, called Alan Shearer after the ex-England football captain, was his "dearest friend" and "guardian angel".

"Alan was like a little guardian angel, he gave me purpose when I felt blue. I have depression, I've lived with that all my life. He was incredible for when I was down," said Caerphilly-born Johnson.

Johnson told presenter Oliver Hides: "It's very, very, very difficult to lose a pet.

"That's been a big learning curve for me because the joy of having Alan, this unconditional love, this wonderful co-dependent relationship that we had came to an end.

"And now I have all this love to give - and it has to go somewhere.

"And, as they say, grief is love that has nowhere to go.

"But I had to put that into myself. And he showed me in the most remarkable way how to love myself."

He said he had "suffered a lot of grief" over the past few years "with humans" and on each occasion it was "different".

"This one with my dog was incredibly different, unique and profound," he said.

Johnson said that Alan gave him a "dopamine injection numerous times a day".

"He was incredible for when I was down and he also gave me a purpose for getting up in the morning and going for a walk, or just having this wonderful purpose to keep this thing alive. It was wonderful to have some focus in my life," he said.

"Every time he did something fun, every time I would go and play with him and his ball or every time I came home, it was like New Year's Eve for him."

Johnson said Alan, who died last year, was given to him by his former housemate, Paul Darling.

Darling was a Newcastle United fan, and named his dog after Toon Army hero Shearer.

"Alan Shearer was his dog. But me and Alan had this soul connection that couldn't be ignored," Johnson said.

"So at one point, maybe five or six years ago, Paul, in the most incredible way, gave me Alan. The greatest gift I will ever receive in my entire life."

Johnson said it was incredible how people felt like they did not deserve to grieve because of the view that "it's only a pet".

"I suppose what I'm trying to do, and what I've been doing now for a year, is give to people permission to grieve pet loss because it is as significant as human loss or any loss," he said.

"It is profoundly integrate to your own personal feelings and the response that I have had has been incredible."

If you have been affected by the issues raised in this story, details of organisations which can provide help and support is available at BBC Action Line.

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