Courtroom Battle Erupts as Spitting Image Production Company Faces Legal Action Over Paddington Bear Episode
Among countless fans who cherish Paddington Bear, Michael Bond's marmalade-loving character represents the quintessence of English politeness and restraint – rendering this new portrayal as a drug-taking, foul-mouthed podcast host particularly controversial.
However, the comedic reinterpretation of Paddington by the team behind Spitting Image has proven excessive for the film studio and rights holders that own the character's rights.
Court Action Initiated Against Production Company
The film producers, behind the hit Paddington movies, are joining forces with Bond's estate to take legal action against British production company Avalon, which produced Paddington's drastic reinterpretation.
A legal filing, initially covered by industry publications, cites intellectual property and design right issues. The court filing doesn't detail the particulars of the allegations, but it comes after Paddington's appearance in the latest Spitting Image YouTube show, titled The Rest Is Bulls*!t.
The show includes sketches about tech billionaires, Donald Trump and political figures. It also parodies ubiquitous podcasts where hosts discuss achieving success.
Controversial Portrayal Details
The show is presented by a typical Spitting Image-style puppet of Prince Harry and a unkempt Paddington. In the first episode, Paddington starts by declaring he doesn't actually talk like Ben Whishaw, the award-winning actor who portrays the character in recent movie versions.
He then changes to a generic South American accent before exclaiming: "I am from Peru, motherfuckers – I am Paddington Bear from Peru! You most likely remember me from the films Paddington, Paddington 2 and Paddington in Peru. I also had a major part in the Netflix series Narcos, as Pablo Escobear. It is a joke. Laugh, muchachos."
At the end of the segment, a chaotic Paddington is shown inhaling a white powder before apparently passing out.
Background Information of Satirical Show
The court action come several weeks after Avalon premiered The Rest Is Bulls*!t, a poke at the popular collection of podcasts produced by multiple media companies.
The show's launch on YouTube in July signaled a new chapter for Spitting Image, which has a rich history of offending its targets – usually politicians, rather than treasured children's characters.
- Initial run was one of the popular programmes in the 1980s
- Ended only in 1996 after viewing figures waned
- Revived in 2020 for digital platform BritBox
- Continued for two series before being cancelled again
Platform Adaptation
Its new incarnation on YouTube has been tailored for the service. Episodes are between 10 and 15 minutes, designed to attract viewers who browse suggested videos.
In the premiere episode, watched more than half a million times, Paddington and Harry interview Musk, and Paddington urges the rightwing billionaire to go to Mars. "You are too much genius for one planet," he says. "As I say about my cocaine, it is only right to share."
He later says the secret to his personal glow is "100% Peruvian, biodynamic, organic, catastrophic cocaine."
The pair also present an advert for guns. Paddington says: "Go to Bogotá and ask for Matthias. Tell him Paddington sent you."
The bear starts another segment by commenting: "And that's why I said 'no' to Harry Potter. Paddington Bear gets out his wand for no one."
Official Responses
StudioCanal declined to comment. A representative for Michael Bond's estate said they were unable to speak as the issue was the subject of legal proceedings.
Avalon has been contacted for comment.
