A history of Paddington Bear ahead of the musical

Learn about the beloved bear's journey from darkest Peru to the West End ahead of the brand-new Paddington Bear musical premiering this autumn.

Paddington Bear, created by the late Michael Bond, is more than just a fictional character. He is the subject of books, toys, television, and films, and such is his popularity that he’s become one of Britain’s best-loved cultural figures and national symbols. And, come the autumn, he’s going to be the star of a musical! No hard stares, just marmalade sandwiches, buns, and cocoa all round!

Rescued at Paddington station by the kindly Brown clan, the young bear from darkest Peru becomes a key member of their family who makes life that bit more special. The upcoming musical features the dream team of music and lyrics by Tom Fletcher, book by Jessica Swale, and direction by Luke Sheppard. Learn more about the history of this adorably accident-prone bear ahead of the musical.

Check back for Paddington The Musical tickets on LondonTheatre.co.uk.

Paddington in print

Michael Bond began his writing career in 1945 when he was stationed with the army in Cairo and sold a short story to a magazine. Paddington first entered his life when he saw a solitary teddy bear languishing in a shop and bought it for his wife. It should be noted, however, that Paddington is not a teddy bear; he is inspired by the spectacled bear (also known as the South American bear and Andean bear) and is fully anthropomorphic (it’s a world in which no one thinks that a talking bear is in any way strange!). Bond, a lifelong fan of trains and railways, chose the name because he lived nearby and had always thought Paddington a funny name for a station.

Paddington is sent to England from darkest Peru by his Great Aunt Lucy following her move into the Home for Retired Bears. Following his sea voyage, he arrives at Paddington station where he is taken in by the Brown family, comprising Mr and Mrs Brown, their children Jonathan and Judy, and housekeeper Mrs Bird. He quickly becomes a popular figure in the neighbourhood and becomes best friends with kindly Hungarian antiques dealer Mr Gruber, with whom he shares daily cocoa and buns for elevenses. He fares rather less well with mean-spirited next-door neighbour Mr Curry.

Paddington’s refugee status was inspired by the Jewish children who arrived in Britain via Kindertransport. Bond observed: "They all had a label round their neck with their name and address on and a little case or package containing all their treasured possessions. So Paddington, in a sense, was a refugee, and I do think that there's no sadder sight than refugees."

Paddington is the embodiment of well-meaning innocence and each story stands alone and depicts an everyday adventure, such as a visit to the dentist or an attempt to clean the house or a trip to the seaside. Occasionally things are exclaimed “hotly” and you might be on the receiving end of a “hard stare” if you aren’t minding your manners, but the adventures are low-stakes and any ensuing chaos can be laughed at by the end. Confusion often stems from the way in which Paddington has a tendency to take things literally, and he is prone to amusing malapropisms. The illustrations, originally in pen and ink by the inimitable Peggy Fortnum, heighten the stories’ charms even further.

Bond published 29 volumes of Paddington stories in total and numerous special publications. Bond’s other creations included the loquacious guinea pig Olga da Polga (whose adventures were adapted into a CBeebies series in 2022) and a series of comic, culinary-centric detective novels starring Monsieur Pamplemousse (for adults). He died at the age of 91 in 2018 and he is buried in Paddington Old Cemetery. His gravestone features the epitaph: “Please look after this bear. Thank you.”

Paddington on television

Between 1976-80, 56 stories were faithfully adapted by Bond himself in episodes of around 20 minutes broadcast on the BBC. Filmed in stop-motion animation, Paddington was represented by a three-dimensional puppet while the other characters were two-dimensional cut-outs. Michael Hordern provided all the voices with his rich, fruity tones.

And, of course, the entire world was delighted when Paddington took tea with Queen Elizabeth II for her Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022. He and the monarch discovered that they both keep emergency marmalade sandwiches to hand (in their hat and handbag respectively).Very sensible.

Paddington on the big screen

In 2014, Paddington made his feature film debut. The cast of Paul King’s film included Ben Whishaw as the voice of Paddington, Hugh Bonneville as Mr Brown, Sally Hawkins as Mrs Brown, Jim Broadbent as Mr Gruber, and Peter Capaldi as Mr Curry. Nicole Kidman played an evil taxidermist who wants to add Paddington to her collection… it’s quite a bit more action-packed than the original stories but retains all the signature warmth, charm, and wit.

In Paddington 2, Paddington is framed for the theft of a valuable book and sentenced to a decade in prison! A scene-stealing Hugh Grant co-starred as the real thief Phoenix Buchanan, a narcissistic actor whose career is waning. It’s a rare example of a sequel that’s arguably even better than the original.

For the third instalment, Paddington in Peru, Paddington and the Browns (with Emily Mortimer succeeding Hawkins as Mrs Brown) travel to Peru to visit Aunt Lucy (Imelda Staunton) in the Home for Retired Bears but she’s nowhere to be found and an adventure in the Andes ensues… Olivia Colman and Antonio Banderas joined in the fun.

Paddington merch

The material culture of Paddington is also big business. The first Paddington toy was designed by the toy company Gabrielle Designs in 1972, dressed in his signature duffel coat, hat, and standing upright in wellington boots. A cuddly Paddington is a perfect baby gift or souvenir for yourself. Be sure to visit the Paddington Store in (where else?) Paddington station for a full range of toys and other adorable souvenirs. You can also pose with the Paddington statues while you’re there!

Paddington The Musical

This autumn, Paddington: The Musical is due to premiere at the Savoy Theatre. The show features music and lyrics by McFly founder Tom Fletcher, who previously penned the musicals The Creakers and There’s a Monster in Your Show, as well as many children’s books. Book writer Jessica Swale is the writer of Blue Stockings and Nell Gwynn (which won the Olivier Award for Best New Comedy), and she wrote and directed the film Summerland, which starred Gemma Arterton. Director Luke Sheppard is responsible for the fabulous spectacles of Starlight Express and Just for One Day.

We’ll have to wait and see how Paddington himself is represented, although producer Sonia Friedman did reveal in an interview with LondonTheatre.co.uk: "The way we are doing the bear is a giant secret but everyone who sees the bear for the first time bursts into tears. It's taken six years to develop the bear, and the show has been incubated for eight years with utter love and devotion."

Don’t miss the chance to get your paws on tickets!

Check back for Paddington The Musical tickets on LondonTheatre.co.uk.