After Life: Meet the owners of Netflix's number one dog

"Your dog looks like the one from After Life" is a phrase Ashley Foster and Beth Heale hear a lot.

They are the proud owners of Antilly, the German Shepherd who plays Brandy in Ricky Gervais's After Life.

The hit Netflix comedy follows Tony Johnson, played by Gervais, as he comes to terms with the death of his wife from cancer.

Brandy supports Tony through grief and Ms Heale said: "What she is to Tony, is what she is to us in real life."

The show, which started in 2019, follows Tony as he grapples with his emotions and finds glimmers of hope from within his own life.

Much of that glimmer comes from his dog and watching videos of his late wife Lisa, played by Kerry Godliman, playing with her.

"We don't have children, just like how Lisa and Tony don't in the show," said Ms Heale.

"It sends a poignant message throughout - dogs are there for you when people can't be and Antilly is always there."

Antilly was born in Hereford to Mr Foster's parents' dogs, before moving to Bicester, Oxfordshire, with her new owner.

Mr Foster and his pet soon began competing in the dog sport IGP (Internationale Gebrauchshund Pruefung), which tests obedience, agility and commands.

Antilly's first sniff of fame was when she visited the set of The Dark Knight Rises at just 10 weeks old. Mr Foster, a TV and film extra, was playing one of Bane's henchmen with both of Antilly's parents starring as attack dogs.

After a few more IGP qualifications, Antilly followed in her parents' footsteps and signed for the agency Stunt Dogs and Animals.

Often typecast as a police dog or guard dog, she has featured in Midsomer Murders, Doc Martin and 2016 film Denial among others.

The third series of After Life, released in January, quickly became the streaming service's number one show and Antilly, 10, captured the hearts of viewers from around the world.

"I'm pleased people can see her as the cute pet she is," said Ms Heale.

Antilly was personally chosen by Gervais in 2018, when he told the owners he was looking for "a Scooby Doo-type dog".

"He told us, if I had to describe to aliens what a dog is, I would show them a picture of Antilly," said Ms Heale.

The actor and Antilly hit it off straight away, the star posting a picture on Instagram with the caption: "Spent a lovely day casting for my leading lady in #AfterLife. This beautiful girl got the part."

An average day on set for Antilly involves many tricks and treats, said Ms Heale.

"Because you can't explain to a dog what to do, they have to keep practising. There are lots of rehearsals with Ricky and his understudy," she said.

While the actors were learning their lines, for Antilly, it was muscle memory.

"Eventually, she gets used to going over to Ricky and walking with him," she added.

Series three also features the couple's other dog, Wylie, who is adopted by Diane Morgan's character Kath.

Wylie is a rescue dog in the show and in real life, and Ms Heale was an extra in the scene to keep him company.

While Antilly was seen by many around the world in the first two seasons of the show, Ms Heale said it had been the final series that really brought her to people's attention.

The online sales manager for the Florence Nightingale Hospice in Buckinghamshire recently organised a fundraiser for the charity.

After a photoshoot of Gervais and Antilly was done by Hamish Brown from the Radio Times, she was amazed to discover that Mr Brown's mother was cared for by the same hospice.

A photograph was donated and Antilly signed it with her paw.

When she isn't behind the camera, Antilly enjoys swimming, playing with her big blue rope as well as "cuddling up on the sofa and a cup of tea with oat milk".

She recognises her bark when the family sits down to watch her on TV.

"How she is on After Life is how she is in real life," said Ms Heale.

"She's very calm and steady, nothing fazes her, and she's also very loving - it's difficult to take a selfie with her because she just wants to give you kisses."