Cilla Black won't get another pet because she worries she'll die first.

The 71-year-old TV icon has confessed she turned down an offer from comedian Paul O'Grady to buy her a new pet pooch as she doesn't think she'd outlive it.

Speaking at a book launch in London, the former 'Blind Date' host told the Daily Mirror newspaper: "I put my last dog down last year. And Paul O'Grady told me he would buy me one for my birthday but I don't want one. Only because the dog will probably outlive me."

Her admission comes after she recently revealed she hopes she dies aged 75 before she gets too old and infirm.

Cilla also said at the same event that Colin Firth was her dream man and she couldn't contain herself when she was sitting directly behind him at Wimbledon.

She told the Daily Telegraph newspaper: "Colin Firth was sitting right in front of us. I adore him ... He wasn't adoring me, he was watching the tennis."

The veteran entertainer is being played by Sheridan Smith in an upcoming ITV drama about her life story, but can't bring herself to watch the tapes back.