From the pen of author Michael Bond, A Bear Called Paddington was first published in the UK in 1958, and quickly went on to become a bestseller. Now, there are over 70 Paddington Bear titles available, in over 40 languages around the world.
Despite having been adapted for many different books and animated TV series, and with many different artists contributing their takes on this classic character, the unflinchingly earnest and polite Paddington is instantly recognizable for his trademark duffle coat and weather-beaten hat. With the release of the feature film ‘Paddington’ in 2015 (2016 in Japan), he also became a movie star, enjoying even more popularity. Paddington 2 has since been released and with a further sequel and an animated TV series also on the horizon, Paddington Bear is going from strength to strength. 2018 marked his 60th anniversary and the adventures of this loveable English-speaking bear from Darkest Peru look set to continue for years to come.