Meet Frankie – the adorable pet pooch who is East Lancashire's latest screen idol.

This is the gorgeous chocolate Labrador who has got tails wagging with his show-stopping appearance in a new national TV advert.

Famous Frankie lives in Bacup with owners Vicky and Steve Southern.

But he’s also appearing in living rooms across the country thanks to him starring in a new pet food commercial.

The laid-back seven-year-old, who has a host of other acting jobs under his collar, is great with people and other dogs.

And he “loves all the fuss and attention” he gets on set, according to bank worker Steve.

Frankie’s rise to fame came after teacher Vicky, 41, signed him up with Manchester-based pet modelling agency Animal Direction.

His latest small screen appearance is in an advert for leading pet food brand Webbox Natural, made by Blackburn-based manufacturer Pets Choice, where he plays the role of ‘Oscar’ alongside a host of other cats and dogs.

There’s a pair of skateboarding poodles, a giant Great Dane sitting alongside a tiny Shih Tzu and some Ragdoll moggies climbing all over a sofa.

Steve, 40, who was on set on the day, said: “Frankie just loves it – he’s in his element.

“He loves being around people and getting hours of fuss and attention. It’s a really good day out for him.”

Frankie arrived into the couple’s lives in dramatic fashion when he was a puppy.

“He was my wedding present to Vicky,” said Steve. “Some wives want handbags, mine wanted a chocolate Labrador!”

His brother Sunny, a black lab, and Jess – who’s ‘fox red’ and was taken in from a local animal sanctuary – have since joined him.

Steve added: “When we got Frankie we did all the Kennel Club awards with him, so even though he is still excitable he’s pretty well trained.

“He will sit, stay and do all those basic things.

“The first time I went for a filming I thought, ‘Are we going to a fussy director? Will they want a Britain’s Got Talent dog?’.

“But that couldn’t be further from the truth. The animals and the people that you meet are usually really nice – and the crew is as well.

“There are always a few people from Animal Direction on hand and they make it really easy.

“If you are struggling they are much better dog trainers than I profess to be.”

The acting gig takes Frankie to some beautiful venues, the pick of them being Arley Hall in Cheshire for an advert shoot a couple of years ago.

“That was the nicest location,” said Steve. “It was quite funny because obviously there is some very expensive furniture there.

“The director was saying to the owners, ‘Get them to jump on there’. Then this women came out, who was lovely, but she had to say, ‘Please don’t let them go on that – it’s 300 years old!’.”

Despite the recent TV stardom, Frankie isn’t chasing the bright lights of Doggywood just yet.

Vicky and Steve are happy for him to keep taking jobs with Animal Direction as and when they crop up. There seems to be no sign of the work drying up any time soon.

Steve said: “All Labradors have a their own personality, but directors and advertising people do seem to gravitate towards the chocolate ones.

“When you are in supermarkets and you see pet food on the shelves, it always seems to be a Labrador – whatever the colour – on the packaging.

“Usually they look at Frankie and say they want him because he is a really stunning dog. He’s very photogenic and very friendly with it too.”