EXCLUSIVE: “Things are always happening to me. I’m that sort of bear.”
Those are the famous words of Michael Bond’s beloved children’s creation, Paddington Bear. But it turns out that Bond’s estate is not so keen on the latest thing to befall the marmalade-loving mammal.
StudioCanal, which produces the Paddington movies, and Paddington Bear’s rights holders are suing Avalon after the British producer’s Spitting Image series on YouTube depicted Paddington as a foul-mouthed podcast host.
Deadline can reveal that the claimants, represented by law firm Edwin Coe, have filed a High Court complaint citing copyright and design right concerns.
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The filing does not reveal the particulars of the claim, but it comes months after The Rest is Bulls*!t, a sketch from Spitting Image, the BAFTA and Emmy-winning British puppet show.
The Rest is Bulls*!t featured an intentionally shonky imitation of Paddington co-hosting a podcast with Prince Harry that sends up Goalhanger shows like The Rest Is Entertainment.
“I don’t really talk like Ben Whishaw,” Paddington intones in the sketch, before switching to an exaggerated accent and exclaiming: “I am from Peru, motherf*ckers. I am Paddington Bear from Peru.”
During the sketch, Prince Harry and Paddington interview Elon Musk, as well as reading ads for guns and robot sex dolls. Paddington also reveals that his healthcare routine involves “100% Peruvian, Biodynamic, organic, catastrophic cocaine.”
The video has been watched more than half a million times. The Spitting Image YouTube series has more than 10M views since its premiere over the summer, rising to 60M across other social media platforms.
Spitting Image has been irritating politicians and celebrities since it first launched in 1984, and producers likely consider Paddington to be just another public figure to be roasted.
StudioCanal and Avalon declined to comment.