Charlotte Hawkins will be missing someone she loves this Bonfire Night.

'I'm still feeling the loss two years later,' says the Classic FM presenter as she prepares to host a special programme for pets and their owners.

'Bailey was such a special dog. We had her for 16 years, she was a huge member of our family. To be honest with you, the pain of the grieving process hit me harder than I'd ever expected.'

Bailey was a rescue dog who lived quite a long time. 'She was a good age so we knew this would happen, but it still caused a physical pain.'

'Even now, thinking about it makes me upset. You still think you hear the tip-tapping of their paws. Or you think, "I must let them out, I must feed them." Then you remember they're not there any more.'

Good Morning Britain presenter Charlotte lives in Surrey with her husband Mark and ten-year-old daughter Ella Rose. 'We'd definitely want to welcome another dog into our home, but it has felt too hard,' she says.

Charlotte Hawkins will be missing someone she loves this Bonfire Night after her dog of 16 years, Bailey, passed away two years ago

Charlotte said:' We had her for 16 years, she was a huge member of our family. To be honest with you, the pain of the grieving process hit me harder than I'd ever expected'

So for now, Charlotte will find comfort in helping her fellow animal lovers with Pet Classics, a show that plays animal-themed music and calming tunes to help pets and owners alike get a little peace and maybe a snooze while the fireworks are going off.

It was originally introduced by the late Bill Turnbull in 2018. 'Those were huge boots to fill,' says Charlotte, who took over in 2021 after Bill became terminally ill. 'I think about him every time we do this.'

Her colleague, Channel 5 news presenter Dan Walker, will present Pet Classics on Bonfire Night itself (Wednesday), while Charlotte takes over next Saturday when fireworks are at their fiercest.

'Unless you see first-hand just how terrified some animals can be with the fireworks, I don't think you really appreciate what it means to owners to have something that can help with that,' says Charlotte, 50.

'A greyhound owner sent me a video of her dog during the fireworks, an absolute quivering wreck.

So for now, Charlotte will find comfort in helping her fellow animal lovers with Pet Classics, a show that plays animal-themed music and calming tunes to help pets and owners alike get a little peace and maybe a snooze while the fireworks are going off

Then she showed me a clip of the same dog listening to Pet Classics the next year, curled up asleep. That made it all worthwhile for me, to see that much of a dramatic effect.'

OK, but how does it work? 'I do believe there's something good for the soul about listening to classical music,' says Charlotte, who's been with Classic FM since 2018. 'It's not just anecdotal evidence.

The Scottish SPCA did a study on this, they played classical music into dogs' kennels and showed that their stress levels reduced for a time.

They proved there is an effect. Another study in Belfast showed classical music helped dogs stay calm more than playing them audio books, so it's not just about having any sort of noise in the background.'

Does it only work on cats and dogs? 'Not at all. People send us pictures of their racing pigeons, iguanas, bearded dragons.

We've had tarantulas and snakes. The radio gets taken out to the ­stables and we have horses and donkeys, sheep and cows.' Tarantulas, seriously? 'Yeah, someone played Pet Classics for their pet spider and apparently they enjoyed it. Who am I to argue with a tarantula?'

Charlotte, the daughter of a church minister, trained as a journalist, became a breakfast television presenter and appeared on Strictly before joining Classic FM. Strangely, all of the above also apply to Dan Walker, who signed up last year.

Dan, 48, has found there's no point just complaining about the noise of fireworks; as an owner you've got to play your part in helping your beloved cat, dog, goat or stick insect cope with all the bangs and whizzes

FIVE SOOTHING TUNES FOR PETRIFIED PETS

Mozart: Piano Concerto No 21, Second Movement

A wonderfully soothing piece of music written by one of the world's greatest composers. Feels as fresh and modern as it did when Mozart wrote it 240 years ago. Sit back and watch your pet relax while enjoying every note.

Satie: Gymnopédie No 1

Instantly recognisable, this calming piano composition is one of a set of three gymnopedies written by the French composer. Published together in 1888, they helped inspire today's ambient music and will provide an oasis of tranquillity for your pet.

Saint-Saëns: Carnival Of The Animals: The Swan

Originally for cello with piano, this is probably Saint-Saëns' most famous work, and the only movement from Carnival Of The Animals that he allowed to be performed in public before his death in 1921, as he thought the others were too frivolous and would damage his reputation.

Bach: Sheep May Safely Graze

This soprano aria is often played at weddings but was written in 1713 to celebrate the birthday of a duke. Sometimes performed as a piano duet, including by Lang Lang, this peaceful composition is a favourite among Classic FM listeners and will soothe even the most traumatised pet.

Gow: Rackwick Bay

A gorgeous piano solo from chart-topping crossover musician and composer Phamie Gow, from her 2007 album Moments In Time. Rackwick is one of the most remote and beautiful beaches in Orkney.

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His first time on Pet Classics was an eye-opener.

'We had some Belgian goats,' says Dan. 'Or maybe a Belgian farmer. I never quite got to the bottom of whether he was from Belgium or the goats were.

'He said: "I want to paint you a picture - it's me in the goat pen with the radio on full blast and everyone here in the herd is calm. Weirdly, we also had messages from people with stick insects they said were calmer.' How could they tell? 'I don't know. Maybe if you spend enough time with one you can tell if it's calm.'

Dan has found there's no point just complaining about the noise of fireworks; as an owner you've got to play your part in helping your beloved cat, dog, goat or stick insect cope with all the bangs and whizzes.

'I've learned from listening to the RSPCA experts we have on the show that your dog, for example, will mimic your reaction,' says Dan, who lives in Sheffield with his wife Sally, three kids and an 11-year-old cockapoo called Winnie.

'If I'm excited about a piece of music then Winnie gets excited too. If I'm laid out on the floor sparko listening to something like Spiegel Im Spiegel by Arvo Part then Winnie will come and lie down next to me. It's the same with fireworks. If you get jumpy, your pet's going to get jumpy too.'

Dan's first pet growing up in Crawley, Sussex, was a cat but the first pet he fell in love with was a golden retriever called Honey.

'I must have been two or three when she came into the house. My dad absolutely adored her. I remember doing my GCSE revision on the bed and Honey would come up and lay across my papers and books while I read things through and made notes. I loved that.'

Her end came at just the wrong time. 'My dad came to pick me up from school after one of my exams and he had big tears in his eyes. I remember a strange emptiness. We all had a great relationship with this dog, then all of a sudden it was gone.'

Dan, 48, took a masters in journalism and became a sports presenter before joining BBC Breakfast in 2016. The Walkers moved to Sheffield - where Dan had studied - to raise their family around then and took on Winnie as a puppy.

Their son is 15 now and very close to Winnie. 'The first thing he does in the morning and the last thing at night is have a chat with her.' Their eldest daughter Susanna is living away from home. 'When she rings me, the first thing she says is, "How's Winnie?" Obviously she misses us as well...'

The Walkers moved to Sheffield - where Dan had studied - to raise their family around then and took on Winnie (pictured) as a puppy

The affection is mutual, he says. 'The greeting you get from a dog when you come home, even if you've only been in the garden for two minutes, is just wonderful. It puts joy in your heart.' And they're a comfort in hard times. 'I love the fact that dogs understand your ­emotions. That's a wonderful thing to have in your house.'

Dan walks Winnie in Ecclesall Park when he's in Sheffield, although his schedule sounds exhausting.

'I do my Classic FM show from the studio in Manchester on a Monday morning, then travel down to London and stay for three nights. I present Channel 5 News Monday through to Thursday and do Classic FM in London on those days,' he says.

That must require a lot of mental gymnastics. 'You do need a slightly different headspace if you're playing classical music or going live to a report on Donald Trump in the Middle East. Then I come home to Sheffield on Thursday night, before doing Classic FM in Manchester on Friday morning.'

Is he not permanently shattered? 'I don't entirely know how I manage to do two full-time jobs. I'd love them to be a bit nearer home, but they're not at the moment.'

Pet Classics is produced in partnership with the RSPCA, who've come up with some tips for owners of all kinds of pets.

Pet Classics is produced in partnership with the RSPCA, who've come up with some tips for owners of all kinds of pets

RSPCA's Tips For A Quiet Bonfire Night

Create a den for your dog in a quiet area of the house and make it special with treats and toys.

Make sure cats have plenty of places around the house to hide.

Speak to your vet about a collar or diffuser that gives off calming pheromones, which will help make your pet feel more secure.

Walk dogs during daylight in fireworks season.

Provide extra bedding for rabbits, guinea pigs or other small animals who live outside, so they have something to burrow into.

Cover their housing with a blanket for extra soundproofing.

Keep horses in a familiar environment, following the normal routine with their usual companions.

If an animal normally lives outside but you plan to bring them in for fireworks night, get them used to the idea well ahead of time.

Speak to neighbours and find out the dates and times of any displays and parties, to plan ahead.

Soundproof your home with simple steps such as closing windows and curtains.

Teach your pet to deal with loud noises by using training CDs such as Scary Sounds, which come with guidance on how to use them.

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But actually, Charlotte says, the onus should be on all of us.

'I do think maybe we could look at moving towards having a bit more management over our fireworks, so they're not quite as traumatising for pets.'

How does she mean? 'With the technology we've got now, we don't necessarily need all the loud whizzes and bangs, do we?'

Charlotte was brought up with a dog in Chichester and started longing for another after settling down with Mark. They married in 2008.

'A lot of women look wistfully at other people's babies. When my husband and I got our first house together I kept looking wistfully at everybody's dogs.'

They found Bailey at a rescue centre. 'The rescue people brought her to our house and she did a big poo on the floor. My husband was looking at me, saying, "I need to know that you're going to be handling the poo side of things." So that was a ­baptism of fire.'

She laughs. 'But what was so lovely was seeing the bond that grew between them. If my husband was working from home, the dog would be on his lap. She just became our world.'

In the absence of Bailey, ­Charlotte says she will look forward to hearing about other people's dogs, tucked up safe.

'It's my favourite show of the year. I love that moment of togetherness, as people tune in for the same reasons up and down the country. It's the only time when I'm pleased that some of my listeners are sound asleep.'

*Pet Classics on Classic FM, Wednesday, 5pm-9pm with Dan Walker, and Saturday 8 November, 5pm-9pm with Charlotte Hawkins.