Step aside, PG Tips Monkey, Johnny Vegas has a new animal sidekick.

The comedian this morning showed off what he calls the ‘best thing I've ever bought in my life’ – an antique, 70-year-old Thirsty Bear toy that shakes with alcohol tremors when you wind it up.

Vegas appeared on Radio X this morning when he described it as 'a toy that reminds you why mum and dad aren't together anymore'.

Toby Tarrant, who was sitting in for Chris Moyles on the breakfast show, described the item for listeners, saying: 'It's basically a bear that's supposed to be drinking lemonade, but seems to… Basically, yeah, it’s pouring itself a very stiff drink before embarking on another day."
 
Vegas revealed he paid £85 for the Thirsty Bear, and had subsequently been offered £220 for it.

 

 

 

 

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Vegas was on air to promote the Little Shop of Antiques, which starts on Quest tonight,

He also spoke about Thirsty Bear in an interview with the Daily Express, saying: 'Whenever you go into a gift shop and you see an object like a giraffe with a clock in its chest, you just think, "Why?" Thirsty Bear is the same.

'I imagine its inventor walking into a toy manufacturer and saying, "I’ve got an idea that’s going to turn this company’s fortunes around. I’ve been working on this all weekend. It’s a bear that’s thirsty, and it also has the DTs." I just don’t know how Thirsty Bear got past the first stage of development.'

And he admitted he will never be parted from it now, saying 'The coffin will be going into the ground, and you’ll hear this rattling. "Stop, stop, Johnny is alive." "No, it’s Thirsty Bear. Something has triggered his clockwork mechanism."

'Thirsty Bear is pouring himself a drink going, "I didn’t sign up for this."'

• The Chris Moyles Show is on Radio X weekdays from 6:30am to 10am and on Global Player