Harrogate dog groomer Verity Hardcastle to judge on BBC One show Pooch Perfect

Verity Hardcastle, from Harrogate, is co-judging Pooch Perfect. Picture: BBC/Beyond Productions/James Stack.

The mother-of-two will hit television screens tonight as a judge on new BBC One show Pooch Perfect - her first major role on the small screen - at 8pm.

Presented by actress and Sheridan Smith, the show aims to find nation’s best dog groomer, pitting 16 contestants against each other.

Mrs Hardcastle, who co-judges alongside Colin Taylor, hopes that the show will give an insight into the industry’s hard-working and creative professionals.

Sheridan Smith. Picture: BBC/Beyond Productions/James Stack.

She said: “It really does shine a light on what beautiful people they are, inside and out.”

There are eight shows in total and the competition is split into four heats, two quarter finals, one semifinal and the final.

At the end of each quarter final two groomers are eliminated by the judges and two go forward to the semi-final.

In the semi-final only one groomer is eliminated by the judges and the remaining three battle it out in the final to win the Golden Stanley trophy and be crowned the nation’s Top Dog Groomer.

Firstly, the four dog groomers face the surprise ‘Breed Makeover’ challenge. The contestants all groom the same breed of dog to Breed Standard.

Secondly, it is the Dog Walk Challenge – a test of their creativity, as well as technical ability. In this challenge the groomers are given a theme for which they can prepare, and they also specify the breed of dog that they would like to groom. These challenges include turning their pooches into a teddy bear and giving a puppy its first haircut.

As the series progresses, the themes become increasingly intricate, gradually introducing new techniques and the use of temporary colour.

Mrs Hardcastle, 35, is a member of the Guild of Master Groomers, has won a number of awards at The Grooming Show, Great North Groom, Master Groom, Premier Groom, Love to Groom Scotland, and she even won first place at Groom Expo in America.

She has her own business called Verity Hardcastle Grooming and Training, which she set up in 2010.

The company has won business industry awards, including twice winning Pet Industry Federation’s ‘Grooming Salon of the Year’. She is mother to Luella, three, and Jenson, one, alongside husband Andrew, and has three Miniature Poodles, Lily, Olive and Alice.

Her love of dogs was sparked by her first, a Doberman called Angel she got when she was 19.

“She was a dog in a million,” said Mrs Hardcastle, “a wonderful, wonderful breed.”