This Morning star opens up on the key advice Paul O'Grady gave him

This Morning's resident vet Scott Miller has confessed he honed his TV craft following advice from the late For The Love Of Dogs presenter Paul O'Grady. The animal lover got his first TV job working on Paul's eponymous tea time chat show.

Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk he expressed his gratitude for the experience, saying: "I was very blessed that I was trained by the master, and that I worked with Paul O'Grady on the first three series of his tea time show 15 years ago.

"I handed him Olga [his dog], who then was the namesake of his production company, Olga TV, as a puppy for a rescue item that I was hosting," he revealed.

"He really was the one to say: 'People aren't watching to be educated. They're watching to be entertained. So, expect that things go wrong, and rather than look like a rabbit in the headlights laugh along with them and go with it.'

"It was the most valuable piece of guidance I've ever been given," Scott acknowledged. "Ever since it actually allowed me to enjoy TV more. Because I think all the time, as a vet, as a scientist, you're thinking, 'oh my gosh, all the other vets are critiquing me right now [on the TV]'. And they're not, because they're probably at work!" he laughed.

"You want to reach out to the masses, and now I feel like it's a huge privilege that I get to educate myself.

"And if people are entertained by what you do, hopefully they'll be positive about what you're saying, and then the message that you believe in comes across.

"So I'm very lucky that at This Morning, I have the support of an amazing production team who know me well enough to know that I would never advocate for anything that I don't believe in or agree with.

"Actually now they sort of just let me run with things as much as they can," he admitted.

One of the things the Australian star is currently passionate about is pet safety when in cars. Seemingly 240,000 pets are injured in car accidents every year and he is now trying to encourage people to use the Tavo Maeve Pet Protection System which helps comfortably restrain an animal in a vehicle.

With many drivers unaware that they are liable if they fail to suitably restrain an animal in a vehicle, the Tavo Maeve gives pet owners the added reassurance that they are complying with the Highway Code and are not at risk of receiving penalty points, incurring a fine, or, in the event of a crash invalidating their insurance.

Opening up on just a few of the injuries he has seen from car accidents, he said: “As a vet, I see a lot more injuries than you would imagine which are caused by pets not being securely fastened in cars. Whiplash injuries, torn nails or even fractures can occur when your pet is flung around the car in an accident.

“Tavo Maeve is great quality, easy to install, has some great features like bedding inserts for added comfort, and a built-in lead for security.

"Plus, your furry friend will be happy and comfortable travelling in style, as it’s a great looking and well-designed piece of kit. It’s a great investment for your fur baby’s safety, and the perfect choice for any travelling pooch and discerning dog parent.”

The Tavo Maeve Pet Protection System is available at Halfords.