Pooch Perfect judges Verity Hardcastle and Colin Taylor
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Meet Pooch Perfect judges Verity Hardcastle and Colin Taylor on BBC with host Sheridan Smith

The duo appear alongside Sheridan Smith

Pooch Perfect judges Verity Hardcastle and Colin Taylor are starring in the BBC show alongside host Sheridan Smith.

But how much do you know about the two dog grooming experts?

Read on to find out more about them.

Verity is a judge on Pooch Perfect (Credit: Beyond Productions/BBC)

Who is Verity Hardcastle, one of the judges on Pooch Perfect?

Verity is a professional dog groomer based in Yorkshire.

She is a self-professed “huge animal lover”, as she revealed in a chat with the BBC that, when she was a child, she “would always ask for either a pony, a dog or a cat” on her Christmas lists.

Verity started dog grooming when she was 18 and quickly knew she wanted to make a career out of it.

After taking part in a grooming taster day, she did more training and today offers training to prospective groomers.

She is based in Yorkshire (Credit: BBC)

What kind of grooming does Verity do?

On her website, Verity says she is a competition groomer at championship level, having won first placings at competitions in the UK and US.

She competes primarily with Poodles mostly but has also competed with Lhasa Apsos, Tibetan Terriers and Bichons.

Read more: Pooch Perfect divides BBC viewers as some brand it ‘dreadful’ and others ‘joyous’

Verity is a member of the Guild of Master Groomers.

Ahead of the BBC show airing, she said it was difficult being a judge.

“I had to put emotions aside and be fair,” she said in her BBC chat. “And that was the most important thing. It was so tough as each episode we sent home two groomers, which was emotional every time. They had all invested a lot by coming on the show.”

Is Verity Hardcastle on Instagram?

Yes, you can find Verity on the Instagram handle @verityhardcastle, where she often posts cute pictures of the dogs she’s working on.

It was so tough as each episode we sent home two groomers, which was emotional every time.

She also uses Instagram to offer updates on Pooch Perfect and advice on doggy care.

Viewers can also find Verity on Facebook via the same social handle.

Colin runs a grooming supplies business (Credit: BBC)

Who is Pooch Perfect judge Colin Taylor?

Colin is also a professional dog groomer and owner of a business that sells dog grooming supplies.

He told the BBC that, originally, he had wanted to be a primatologist and study gorillas, which he always found fascinating as a child.

While working at a pet shop, he served someone who bought a set of dog nail clippers and that sparked his interest in grooming.

From there, he went to the London Academy of Grooming and has been in the industry for over 35 years.

Colin has said that today, his main role is in educating dog groomers by running seminars and teaching in the UK.

He is certified by the UK City and Guilds and is also a Certified Master Groomer in the US.

He has been in the dog grooming industry for decades (Credit: Beyond Productions/BBC)

Why is Colin a judge on Pooch Perfect?

Colin told the BBC his main reason for doing the show was to make sure it represented the industry in a positive way.

He said: “I wanted to make sure the industry was put into a good light and represented truly.

Read more: Pooch Perfect: How many dogs does Sheridan Smith have?

“I wanted to do the industry justice, whilst educating people at home and raising awareness of the craft I am so proud to be a part of.”

Is Colin Taylor on Instagram?

Yes, Colin also runs an Instagram account to promote his business.

His business Instagram handle is @colintaylorgrooming and he has a Facebook page of the same name. Colin also has a personal account, @colintaylorofficial.

Poster

Are you enjoying Pooch Perfect? What do you think of the judges? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know.


Nancy Brown
Associate Editor