All over the country, there must be dogs named after EastEnders characters. Please write in and tell us if you own one.

Dirty Den ought to be a mucky terrier with a grin and a bit of a snarl, who shares his basket with Angie, a miniature poodle with unkempt curls.

Grant and Phil are XL bullies, obviously. Their mum Peggy, tiny but ferocious, will probably be a Chihuahua. And then there’s Ricky.

Ricky could be any breed, as long as he never comes when he’s called. His owner will have to stand in the park, screaming, ‘Rick-ahy! Rick-ahy!’ like Bianca (played by Patsy Palmer in the soap).

That ridiculous image became reality for pet-lover and former Strictly contestant Pete Wicks on For Dog’s Sake, as he met a scruffy two-year-old pointer called Ricky at a Dog’s Trust rescue centre in Leeds. Never was an animal more aptly named.

Behavioural expert Abbie explained the boisterous mutt had been in their kennels for months, unable to find a home, because he couldn’t be trusted off the leash. Take your eye off him for a moment and he’d be miles away, sniffing around and making a nuisance of himself, refusing to come back —like Ricky Butcher (Sid Owen) in the Square.

After weeks of fruitless training, Abbie discovered that a shrill, repetitive screech was the only way to get Ricky to pay attention. Pete, whose Essex accent is more of a low grumble, joined in gamely. It hurt my throat just to hear him.

This was a light interlude as For Dog’s Sake returned for a second series. The show is not afraid to highlight the cruelty some of the rescued animals have suffered, and the sight of four Maltese crosses dumped at the door in a suitcase, their coats horribly matted, was truly distressing.

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For Dog’s Sake promises to give TOWIE graduate Wicks a TV career long after his reality show antics are forgotten

Weird laughs of the night

Tim Robinson, star of the cult Netflix sketch show I Think You Should Leave, excels at cringe comedy, the kind fans of The Office love.

He adds a juicy layer of conspiracy theory in The Chair Company (Sky Comedy). Bizarre but intriguing.

Shows such as this and ITV’s For The Love Of Dogs depend on the instant bond between presenter and pet. That’s why the late Paul O’Grady was so perfect for the format — we believed he really did want to kidnap every pooch.

His successor, Alison Hammond, looks more likely to rush home and give herself a scrub in the shower, to get the dog smell off her.

O’Grady reinvented his career at Battersea Dogs Home, and For Dog’s Sake promises to give TOWIE graduate Wicks a TV career long after his reality show antics are forgotten.

He had fun romping with Theo, a two-year-old Italian mastiff with a heart problem that means he’s unlikely to live more than 18 months. Pete adored him, and organised an appeal on local news to find Theo a good home.

‘If ever there was a dog that deserves to feel that unconditional love, to be part of the family unit, then it’s him,’ he told the interviewer. ‘For me, it was love at first slobber.’