THERESA and Bernard are partial to some tinsel and enjoy a party as much as the next turkey - but some traditions are understandably taboo to two old birds who have survived 20 Christmases between them without even a hint of sage and onion.
At a time when most of their counterparts are well beyond the turkey sandwich stage, Bernard and Theresa are safe in the knowledge that the closest they have come to Christmas dinner is a bit-part on Coronation Street. They are part of the menagerie of animal actors which local entrepreneur Kevin Horkin supplies to TV and film companies.
Theresa was the turkey chased around by the Street's resident loser, Les Battersby, who had bought Christmas dinner in full feather. Theresa - an American bronze-breasted turkey - survived his murderous intentions, to be featured on the This Morning programme, when it was hosted by Richard and Judy.
Away from the bright lights of animal stardom Theresa has found she prefers the quiet life with an older bird. For the past six years she has shared a nest with Bernard at Kevin's farm on the outskirts of Oswaldtwistle. Bernard is a Norfolk turkey and bootiful in his own way, even if he hasn't had the TV exposure of Theresa.
And entrepeneur Kevin thinks he may be the oldest turkey in the world.
He said: "He is 13 and most turkeys don't even last a full year. I have never known a turkey older than nine before but the age difference doesn't seem to matter to Theresa, even though she is only half his age. I suppose they are the turkey equivalent of Catherine Zeta Jones and Michael Douglas."
With another Christmas safely in the past, Bernard and Theresa are looking forward to a year of domestic bliss in their very own turkey shack where they are protected from the attentions of any passing fox - the animal stars' equivalent of the paparazzi. Their days are spent pecking around the farmyard but it hasn't always been a picture of domestic bliss.
Kevin has no doubt that Bernard still harbours dark suspicions about the time, a couple of years ago, when Theresa went missing from the farmyard and spent several nights away on the wild moors.
He added: "We will never know exactly what happened, whether she met anyone or where she spent those nights. Bernard is in his twilight years and it would hardly be surprising if Theresa was tempted by younger meat.
"Bernard has his suspicions, even though he accepted her back in his shack, but I think it may all be innocent. After all the only feathered friends she was likely to find on the moors were grouse - and she must get enough grousing with Bernard. He is a world champion complainer."
