Bert and Ernie "just good friends"

The makers of Sesame Street have responded to a campaign calling for two of the show's famous puppets to get married.

Almost 9,000 people have signed a petition encouraging Bert and Ernie to celebrate the street's first gay marriage.

After 41 years of living together, their union was suggested as a way to promote tolerance of gay people.

But production staff insist Bert and Ernie are "just good friends".