Who is Paddington Bear?
Paddington Bear is a fictional bear from deepest, darkest Peru, created by English author Michael Bond in 1958. He is found at Paddington station in London with a label saying Please look after this bear, and he loves marmalade sandwiches.
Michael Bond was inspired by a lonely teddy bear he saw in a shop near Paddington station. He also remembered evacuee children during World War II with labels around their necks.
The first book, A Bear Called Paddington, was published in 1958. Bond wrote many more Paddington books.
Paddington on screen
Paddington is adopted by the Brown family and lives at 32 Windsor Gardens in London. He wears a blue duffel coat and a red hat.
The 2014 film Paddington and its 2017 sequel were critically acclaimed. A third film, Paddington in Peru, was released in 2024.
In 2022, Paddington appeared in a sketch with Queen Elizabeth II for her Platinum Jubilee, where they discussed marmalade sandwiches.
A statue of Paddington stands at Paddington station. The bear's polite manners and kindness have made him a much-loved British character.