Category Entertainment News

The producers behind the hit Paddington films and the estate of his creator, Michael Bond, are suing the company behind Spitting Image after it depicted the beloved bear as a foul-mouthed podcast host

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The creators of the popular Paddington films and Michael Bond’s estate, who created the character, are taking legal action against the company behind Spitting Image for portraying the beloved bear as a foul-mouthed podcast host.

As initially reported by Deadline, the claimants, represented by law firm Edwin Coe, have lodged a High Court complaint against Avalon, citing copyright and design right issues.

The details of the claim remain undisclosed, but it follows the release of the Spitting Image YouTube show, The Rest is Bullsh*t!, which features the fictional bear. Avalon, StudioCanal and Michael Bond’s estate declined to comment when approached by the BBC, and Edwin Coe has also been asked for their input.

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For those familiar with the Peruvian bear, who first graced our lives in Bond’s 1958 book, A Bear Called Paddington, the sketch offers a starkly different portrayal of the children’s character. In the Spitting Image parody, Paddington hosts a podcast with Prince Harry, where the bear is seen swearing, advertising guns and robot sex dolls, and confessing to cocaine use.

His accent has morphed into a stereotypically strong South American one, as he reveals he doesn’t really sound like Ben Whishaw, the British actor who voiced his character in the well-loved Paddington films. The pair are shown interviewing Tesla owner Elon Musk, and the footage also includes sketches featuring US President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

The sketch showed the bear with red eyes and presented him as a drug user. with the puppet of the bear saying: “I am from Peru, motherf*****. I am Paddington Bear from Peru.”

The show is a satirical take on the podcast series The Rest Is…, produced by Gary Lineker’s Goalhanger Productions. In a recent episode, Paddington further references his drug habit.

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The Spitting Image TV show, known for its caricatures of celebrities, politicians and royals, was a massive success for ITV during its original run in the 1980s and 1990s. The Bafta and Emmy award-winning television series originally aired for 18 series between 1984 and 1996, before making a comeback on Britbox from 2020 to 2022. It even inspired a musical. In July this year, a YouTube series featuring shorter episodes of between 10 and 15 minutes was announced.

As reported by The Daily Mail, Paddington movies’ producer StudioCanal is taking legal action against British production company Avalon, who are behind the sketch. StudioCanal has lodged a High Court complaint, with Deadline revealing that the producers have also raised copyright concerns.

Not only was Paddington Bear featured in the sketch, but a puppet of Prince Harry also made an appearance, uttering: “‘I’m here to tell my truth and make a s*** ton of money out of podcasting as I don’t have any discernible talent.”

Despite Paddington not being a Royal like Prince Harry, the sketch could still ruffle some feathers among Royal enthusiasts, particularly given the bear’s connection to Queen Elizabeth II. This is due to Paddington Bear’s appearance in a video marking the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022.

In the clip, Her Majesty is seen enjoying afternoon tea at Buckingham Palace with the CGI bear, voiced by Ben Whishaw. The video was viewed globally, with miniature Paddington Bear toys left at the Palace gates following the Queen’s passing in September 2022.

Earlier this year two men were arrested after a newly installed Paddington Bear statue was cut in half and stolen from its perch on a bench. The statue of the beloved fictional bear, which had only been unveiled last October, was damaged and part of it stolen in the early hours of Sunday morning, according to Thames Valley Police. Paddington’s remains left an outline on the bench in Newbury, Berkshire, where the children’s character had once sat.

The arrested men, both 22 and from Basingstoke, are currently in custody facing charges of theft and criminal damage. The stolen piece of the statue has also been retrieved by the officers.

Investigating officer inspector Alan Hawkett said: “The Paddington Bear statue is a beloved part of Newbury so we have been doing everything we can to locate it and the offenders. I am delighted we have made two arrests and recovered the statue, which we will keep safe and support its restoration to its rightful place in Northbrook Street.”

Lou Teasdale has opened up about life on the road with One Direction and explained why Liam Payne’s death reminded her of Caroline Flack

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One Direction’s stylist, Lou Teasdale has opened up about the tragic death of Liam Payne and how she rejects losing touch with the late dad-of-one.

The hair and make-up artist has admitted that she “wasn’t surprised” he was struggling as the one-year anniversary of the singer’s tragic death nears.

Lou started by explaining that she worked on X Factor and that was how she met the band. She then said she left the show to tour with One Direction for five years. When asked if she was still in touch with them, she alluded to Liam’s death: “Yeah, especially with last year and what happened.”

READ MORE: Lou Teasdale addresses feud with Caroline Flack’s mum – ‘A lot of fingers get pointed’READ MORE: Louis Tomlinson heartbreakingly reflects on Liam Payne’s ‘unjust and frustrating’ death

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“We are like a family,” she told Paul Brunson on his podcast, We Need To Talk. But she admitted she had lost touch with Liam before he died, because, by the time he died, “everyone always worried” about him and how “lost” he was.

“I do wish I kept in touch with him more because he would always reach out and try and chat. And he was always quite lost and everyone always worried about him.”

She later said Liam’s death and the events she felt led up to it reminded her of the death of Caroline Flack. Whilst Liam died after falling from a hotel balcony in Argentina, Caroline committed suicide.

But, Lou felt that the lack of protection Liam had and the negative narrative painted about him online affected him, like it did with the former X Factor host.

“It reminded me of the Caroline situation,” Lou started. “Liam in One Direction was really well protected. You know, the boys would go and do an interview and it would get edited to make them look good. That’s how TV interviews for pop bands worked.

“And since then, social media has become ruthless. What people want to watch, unfortunately, has turned so toxic. Um, and everyone forgets that there’s a human being when they’re sharing this stuff. You know, he was an empathetic person.”

Lou also said she was “not surprised he was struggling” near the end because of way hatred online was affecting his mental health. “Unfortunately, it’s a part of being in the public eye. And there’s not really any sort of regulation to protect them from it.

“And so, they just become very, very vulnerable. and their mental health spiralling and spiralling and there’s not really anybody who can help it.”

This year also marks the 15th anniversary of One Direction, as well as one year since Liam’s death. Ahead of the anniversary, his bandmate Louis Tomlinson revealed what he thought about Liam.

“He was just a very misunderstood person, I think, from a public perspective. If there is ever any judgment on his character, I think nine times out of 10, you can reflect on that, and the reflection is that he was someone who just wanted to be liked.”

Louis also spoke about how difficult it was to lose Liam. “It was really, really, impossibly difficult for me to deal with losing Liam. Naively, I thought that because at this point, I’m relatively well versed in grief for my age, that it might soften the blow. [That was] super-naive. It’s very different. I’ve never lost a friend before.”

Lou Teasdale has opened up about life on the road with One Direction and explained why Liam Payne’s death reminded her of Caroline Flack

View 4 Images

One Direction’s stylist, Lou Teasdale has opened up about the tragic death of Liam Payne and how she rejects losing touch with the late dad-of-one.

The hair and make-up artist has admitted that she “wasn’t surprised” he was struggling as the one-year anniversary of the singer’s tragic death nears.

Lou started by explaining that she worked on X Factor and that was how she met the band. She then said she left the show to tour with One Direction for five years. When asked if she was still in touch with them, she alluded to Liam’s death: “Yeah, especially with last year and what happened.”

READ MORE: Lou Teasdale addresses feud with Caroline Flack’s mum – ‘A lot of fingers get pointed’READ MORE: Louis Tomlinson heartbreakingly reflects on Liam Payne’s ‘unjust and frustrating’ death

View 4 Images

“We are like a family,” she told Paul Brunson on his podcast, We Need To Talk. But she admitted she had lost touch with Liam before he died, because, by the time he died, “everyone always worried” about him and how “lost” he was.

“I do wish I kept in touch with him more because he would always reach out and try and chat. And he was always quite lost and everyone always worried about him.”

She later said Liam’s death and the events she felt led up to it reminded her of the death of Caroline Flack. Whilst Liam died after falling from a hotel balcony in Argentina, Caroline committed suicide.

But, Lou felt that the lack of protection Liam had and the negative narrative painted about him online affected him, like it did with the former X Factor host.

“It reminded me of the Caroline situation,” Lou started. “Liam in One Direction was really well protected. You know, the boys would go and do an interview and it would get edited to make them look good. That’s how TV interviews for pop bands worked.

“And since then, social media has become ruthless. What people want to watch, unfortunately, has turned so toxic. Um, and everyone forgets that there’s a human being when they’re sharing this stuff. You know, he was an empathetic person.”

Lou also said she was “not surprised he was struggling” near the end because of way hatred online was affecting his mental health. “Unfortunately, it’s a part of being in the public eye. And there’s not really any sort of regulation to protect them from it.

“And so, they just become very, very vulnerable. and their mental health spiralling and spiralling and there’s not really anybody who can help it.”

This year also marks the 15th anniversary of One Direction, as well as one year since Liam’s death. Ahead of the anniversary, his bandmate Louis Tomlinson revealed what he thought about Liam.

“He was just a very misunderstood person, I think, from a public perspective. If there is ever any judgment on his character, I think nine times out of 10, you can reflect on that, and the reflection is that he was someone who just wanted to be liked.”

Louis also spoke about how difficult it was to lose Liam. “It was really, really, impossibly difficult for me to deal with losing Liam. Naively, I thought that because at this point, I’m relatively well versed in grief for my age, that it might soften the blow. [That was] super-naive. It’s very different. I’ve never lost a friend before.”

King Charles’ official royal residences have been planning for the festive season and Christmas plans for Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace have now been revealed

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Christmas plans for King Charles’ royal homes have been revealed – and they include a historic first.

While the monarch and his family nearly always spent the festive season at Sandringham, big plans have been announced for his official residences of Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh. And in a historic first, it has been revealed that the Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace will become a Christmas pop-up shop from November 14, where shoppers can stock up on products from the Royal Collection Trust. Meanwhile, at Windsor Castle, visitors there will be treated to the sight of a 20-foot-high Nordmann fir tree grown in Windsor Great Park in St George’s Hall, which will be decked with thousands of lights and ornaments.

READ MORE: Meghan Markle quietly releases new As Ever product before dramatic Paris tripREAD MORE: Prince Harry ‘stalker found hiding in toilets minutes before he arrived at UK event’

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And a 16-foot tree will also adorn the Crimson Drawing Room, which is only open during the winter months – while special tiny decorations repurposed from vintage necklaces will be added to the ornate Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House, which Queen Camilla showed First Lady Melania Trump during the US state visit.

While in north of the border at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, two 12-foot high Christmas trees will decorate the Throne Room, while a 15-foot-high Nordmann fir tree will take centre stage in the Great Gallery.

Other decorations will include garlands, berries, and winter foliage on the Great Stair and the Royal Dining Room, first used by Queen Victoria, being adorned with a silver service, sugared fruits and seasonal foliage.

Although the royals nearly always spend Christmas at Sandringham, the King’s exact plans for the festive season have not yet been revealed.

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However, last year, he hosted his biggest gathering of royals in years, which included the Prince and Princess of Wales and their three children George, Charlotte and Louis.

When it comes to this year, two royals who have been tipped to miss out on the celebrations yet again are Prince Andrew and his ex-wife Fergie. It comes after Charles has signalled the pair will not be welcome at the traditional celebrations.

Sources close to Charles said he wanted to keep them at arm’s length after it recently emerged the duchess had kept in contact with the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein after publicly denouncing him in 2011.

Andrew stayed away last Christmas after his links to an alleged Chinese spy, Yang Tengbo, emerged. The source told the Sunday Times: “You can’t sack someone from being your brother. But this year, if the duke and duchess were both to be as honourable [as last year], it would be very much for the best.”

The decision is being supported by the Prince of Wales, who is understood to be frustrated and concerned by the Yorks’ behaviour causing long-term reputational risk to the royals.

The King has also made clear that he would prefer them to take an “out of sight, out of mind” approach for any future family occasions that the Yorks attend.

King Charles’ official royal residences have been planning for the festive season and Christmas plans for Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace have now been revealed

View 3 Images

Christmas plans for King Charles’ royal homes have been revealed – and they include a historic first.

While the monarch and his family nearly always spent the festive season at Sandringham, big plans have been announced for his official residences of Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh. And in a historic first, it has been revealed that the Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace will become a Christmas pop-up shop from November 14, where shoppers can stock up on products from the Royal Collection Trust. Meanwhile, at Windsor Castle, visitors there will be treated to the sight of a 20-foot-high Nordmann fir tree grown in Windsor Great Park in St George’s Hall, which will be decked with thousands of lights and ornaments.

READ MORE: Meghan Markle quietly releases new As Ever product before dramatic Paris tripREAD MORE: Prince Harry ‘stalker found hiding in toilets minutes before he arrived at UK event’

View 3 Images

And a 16-foot tree will also adorn the Crimson Drawing Room, which is only open during the winter months – while special tiny decorations repurposed from vintage necklaces will be added to the ornate Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House, which Queen Camilla showed First Lady Melania Trump during the US state visit.

While in north of the border at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, two 12-foot high Christmas trees will decorate the Throne Room, while a 15-foot-high Nordmann fir tree will take centre stage in the Great Gallery.

Other decorations will include garlands, berries, and winter foliage on the Great Stair and the Royal Dining Room, first used by Queen Victoria, being adorned with a silver service, sugared fruits and seasonal foliage.

Although the royals nearly always spend Christmas at Sandringham, the King’s exact plans for the festive season have not yet been revealed.

View 3 Images

However, last year, he hosted his biggest gathering of royals in years, which included the Prince and Princess of Wales and their three children George, Charlotte and Louis.

When it comes to this year, two royals who have been tipped to miss out on the celebrations yet again are Prince Andrew and his ex-wife Fergie. It comes after Charles has signalled the pair will not be welcome at the traditional celebrations.

Sources close to Charles said he wanted to keep them at arm’s length after it recently emerged the duchess had kept in contact with the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein after publicly denouncing him in 2011.

Andrew stayed away last Christmas after his links to an alleged Chinese spy, Yang Tengbo, emerged. The source told the Sunday Times: “You can’t sack someone from being your brother. But this year, if the duke and duchess were both to be as honourable [as last year], it would be very much for the best.”

The decision is being supported by the Prince of Wales, who is understood to be frustrated and concerned by the Yorks’ behaviour causing long-term reputational risk to the royals.

The King has also made clear that he would prefer them to take an “out of sight, out of mind” approach for any future family occasions that the Yorks attend.

Celebrity make-up artist, Lou Teasdale, sat down for a candid conversation with Paul C Brunson about her life, career and her best friend Caroline Flack’s suicide in 2020

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Lou Teasdale touched up her difficult relationship with Caroline Flack’s mum, Christine, as she opened up about her best friend’s suicide.

The Love Island host died by suicide on February 15 2020 aged 40, and Lou has sat down for an in-depth interview discussing the heartbreaking situation.

Following Caroline’s tragic death, her mum Christine has questioned why her pals Lou and Mollie Grosberg left her alone in her flat on the night she took her own life. The celebrity hair stylist, who is mum to daughter Lux, was the last person to see the TV presenter alive.

During a candid conversation with Paul C Brunson on his podcast, she was asked whether the rumours of Christine and her falling out were true.

READ MORE: Caroline Flack’s friend Lou Teasdale reveals why she left her hours before deathREAD MORE: Lou Teasdale’s pals fear major move with Andy Carroll as she takes him back a second time

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Lou said: “So, my sister and I are really close with with Jody, her twin sister. I actually saw her at Glastonbury and hopefully we’ll stay in touch forever. Obviously, we were together on that day and she knows who we are and where we are.

“And I think what’s really hard with with parents, it does cause conflict because it’s the worst case scenario for anybody for that to happen to your child and all you’re going to do is think whose fault is it, which I understand.”

She added on the We Need To Talk podcast: “A lot of fingers get pointed at partners – that’s happened a few times that I’ve known about as well. For me, where I sat in the Caroline situation was I know what happened, I was there, I know what I’m comfortable with.

“I personally just don’t blame anybody and I panic about blame because it creates again another vulnerable person who has to take that on their shoulders and the trauma of that for the rest of their lives – especially publicly.

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“Without going into anything private, I’ve basically tried my best to stay away from any conversations about who was in the wrong or whatever and I think that in this situation, people come together and do that as a way of trying to fight it and deal with it as part of the grief process. But I had a relationship with everybody in that situation which became impossible really.”

During the conversation, she was asked if she has been able to “properly grieve” Caroline, and Lou admitted: “No because I think suicide is a really hard death for people to grieve because it is filled with so many emotions.”

Recalling her final moments with the TV star, Lou shared: “The night before, she had attempted. So, the paramedics had sort of given a big talk to get her through the night.

“I always felt that I needed to get her through the night then I would go home to my daughter and she’d be alright in the day. I was never that worried in the daytime. I was too panicky in the night to leave her.”

If you’re struggling and need to talk, the Samaritans operate a free helpline open 24/7 on 116 123. Alternatively, you can email jo@samaritans.org or visit their site to find your local branch

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