Bella Mackie has opened up about the place her late dog Barney held in her life with husband Greg James, explaining that the couple adopted him instead of having children.
In a moving essay for Vogue, titled “My Perfect Dog Died. What The Hell Do I Do Now?”, the author reflected on how she and the BBC Radio 1 presenter believed they had found their answer by choosing life with a dog rather than starting a family.
Barney, whom Mackie and James adopted from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in 2019, died earlier this month. Since then, the couple have spoken candidly online about their grief, while Greg was also forced to step away from work as they dealt with the loss.
Writing with raw honesty, Mackie said: ‘A good lesson in life – and one I only learnt this week – is not to get a dog in place of a kid… I love the dog so much I’ll never be able to love a kid more.’
The devastated writer recalled that it was “love at first sight” when Greg first saw Barney. After bringing him home and helping train him, the couple later faced his worsening health, multiple operations and, eventually, the painful decision that he should not be made to suffer any longer.
Bella Mackie has spoken about how she and husband Greg James adopted their late dog Barney instead of having children (pictured with Barney in 2022)
The couple adopted Barney from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in 2019. He died earlier this month, prompting both Mackie and James to share their grief publicly, while Greg also took time away from work (pictured in 2021)
Mackie also turned to Philip Larkin’s 1956 poem An Arundel Tomb, quoting the line: ‘What will survive of us is love. I don’t imagine Philip Larkin would be thrilled that I’m applying his genius to a slightly overweight Labrador called Barney, but here we are…
‘His love was wonderful, wonderful enough that one day we’ll get another dog from Battersea (I miss those smug points) and upend our entire lives in service of them. Until then, I don’t know what the hell to do.’
Earlier this month, the couple blasted a ‘deranged’ critic.
After Greg revealed the ‘horrible news’ that Barney had died and said he ‘can’t stop crying’ while Bella shared a sobbing video later.
His death comes in the midst of Bella’s promo of her new book Claws Out! and she took to Instagram to caveat that despite the fact she is grieving she would be sharing promotional content about the book, which is due for release on August 27.
She took to Instagram to excitedly share the first review of Claws Out! as she posted a selfie while holding the book alongside the caption: ‘First review is in! It’s some very welcome good news at a very sad time…’
When a follower wrote: ‘Too soon before your pup died!!’ Bella simply replied: ‘F**k you,’ while Greg went for a more impassioned: ‘our grief and how we deal with it is absolutely nothing to do with you. Or more simply put, what Bella just said.’
The couple’s beloved pooch, who they adopted from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in 2019, passed away earlier this month and they have been sharing details of their grief online while Greg was also forced to take time off work (pictured in 2021)
The rest of the post comprised images of Bella’s head placed over various iconic writers’ bodies including Agatha Christie and Evelyn Waugh.
A picture of a shirtless Greg concluded the post, as they revealed he was behind the post, which was reflecting the review’s words, reading: ‘Mackie’s previous book, What A Way To Go, was guided by Jilly Cooper (in a bad mood) and Agatha Christie…
‘Here, Christie’s influence is discernible again — it’s ingeniously plotted — but she’s been joined by Dickens and perhaps Waugh…
‘The tone is deliciously spiky, whether Mackie is reporting on the feud, nailing cameo characters or satirising social trends. It’s not only Diana and Cat who have got their claws out.’
Harking back to her hurtful commenter, Bella shared the exchange on Instagram stories with the caption: ‘Gave me an odd moment of dark comedy actually so thanks for your deranged message I guess?’
