U challenges stars and their dogs to compete for Wagging Rights

Rhod Gilbert, Harriet Kemsley, Kae Kurd, Sara Pascoe and Vicki Pattison to take part in brand new series on free streaming service U

London, 29th April 2026: Free streaming service U is launching new factual entertainment format Wagging Rights (6x60') later this year, supported by a linear TX on U&Dave and U&W. Produced by Boldprint Studios, Wagging Rights follows five celebrities as they attempt to train their pet dogs to become show dogs.

Rhod Gilbert, Harriet Kemsley, Kae Kurd, Sara Pascoe and Vicky Pattison are the five would-be trainers bringing their dogs along to compete for the Wagging Rights trophy. Across six episodes a team of the UK's top dog show judges will evaluate the stars - and their human owners! - with each episode based around a core skill; obedience, scent work, agility, freestyle and ball sports, before the grand final.

Rhod Gilbert says, Picsen and I are joining the wagging rights competition to show the world what a poorly trained dog and chaotic human can achieve. It's what the world needs right now.

Harriet Kemsley says, I am so excited to do this show with my first born and cannot wait to start my new life as dog trainer. Sunny has issues with barking, chewing, basic instructions, co-dependence, licking, anxiety and personal space, wish us luck!

Kae Kurd says, I just want the country to see how amazing Riot is! I think there's a massive stigma around big dogs and Rottweilers and I just want everyone to see she's the most gentle, loving creature and a very good girl.

Sara Pascoe says, My dog Mouse is the love of my life and the chance to take him to work every day was too good an opportunity to pass up. We both look forward to making our personal relationship a professional one!

Vicky Pattison says, "Im spending time with my beautiful lab Milo AND Im making a TV show at the same time, its fantastic. Theres a lot to learn but well give it our best - and as long as Milo has a nice time... thats all that matters!

Wagging Rights is commissioned for UKTV by Mark Iddon, senior commissioning editor, with Helen Nightingale, head of factual and factual entertainment, and ordered by Hilary Rosen, director of commissioning and Gerald Casey, director of programming, unscripted. Phil Harris, Georgina Hinds and Lou Hutchinson are executive producers for Boldprint Studios, Tom Gill is series producer, Jill Worsley is series director, Hannah Stupple is production executive and Lindsey Truman is line producer. The dog experts on Wagging Rights are Kay Attwood, award winning dog trainer, behaviourist and author, and Nigel Reed, dog behaviourist and author.

Mark Iddon says, Wagging Rights is exactly the kind of bold, feel-good show we want more of, a big, instantly explainable format that delivers huge laughs without feeling over-produced. Dogs bring the spontaneity, the celebs bring the stories, and together it's warm, competitive and ridiculously watchable.

Gerald Casey says, This is a fantastic lineup of stars and I'm sure our viewers will love seeing how they learn to help their dogs become amazing competitors across the series.

Phil Harris, CEO, Boldprint Studios, says, Anyone whos visited Boldprint knows we are overrun with office dogs - so making a show about them was only a matter of time. The whole team are so proud of this joyful, funny show and we hope viewers enjoy watching it as much as we have making it.

Wagging Rights will simultaneously air on linear across both U&Dave and U&W. It joins other successful factual entertainment programming on the network such as Guy Martin: Proper Jobs, Robson Green's Amazing Walks and Pete Wicks: For Dog's Sake, which won Best Popular Factual Programme at the 2025 Broadcast Digital Awards and Best Lifestyle Show at the 2026 TV Choice Awards. All U&Dave and U&W programming can be found on U. U is UKTV's free streaming service with over 9000 hours of content from UKTV's free-to-air channels U&Dave, U&Drama, U&Yesterday and U&W, as well as programming exclusive to U. U's programming is also available to stream free on Channel4.

Wagging Rights will launch later this year on U.

LINK:	https://corporate.uktv.co.uk/newsroom/u-challenges-stars-and-their-dog...
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