addington is a busy , one that dines with the , is featured on stamps and
Google homepages, pops up in and Marks & Spencer advertisements and has been made into statues in both and . Now he is set to come to
London as part of an immersive “ ” that is set to open at London County Hall on the Southbank later this year. Visitors will be invited to go on a mission to help the Brown family get out of a bit of quandary – it’s unclear whether Paddington Bear (as is so often the case) is the cause of the mess that the Browns find themselves in, but it seems fairly likely, given his track record. The event will be large-scale (the space spans 26,000 square ft), interactive and multi-sensory, and there’ll be video, live performances and food and drink. While the finer details about the event are still being kept under wraps, we do know that “iconic locations” will feature and that they’ll culminate in a “in a Windsor Gardens extravaganza”. The experience is being described as suitable for ages four and upwards. SPONSORED The event is being written by Katie Lyons (Peaky Blinders: The Rise), directed by creative collective Immersive Octopus, and designed by Rebecca Brower (Doctor Who: Time Fracture, West End). The Path Entertainment Group, the team behind Monopoly Lifesized and the immersive SAW: Escape Experience, are producing. The
Queen in a surprise comic sketch with Paddington Bear (Buckingham Palace/ Studio Canal/BBC Studios/PA) The Paddington Bear Experience comes on the 65th anniversary of
British author Michael Bond’s first Paddington Bear book. There are now 28 Paddington books that have been translated into 40 languages, and have sold more than 35 million copies. The story begins with the Brown family finding the disheveled bear, who has travelled to London all the way from deepest darkest Peru, at Paddington Station. They take him home and offer him some tea, one thing leads to another and even though he causes havoc nearly everywhere he goes, he’s also a charming and polite bear, and so he ends up staying with the Browns full time. The following books detail Paddington’s escapades around London and the world. Speaking to The Guardian in 2014, Bond, who died three years later aged 91, said that the reason Paddington’s appeal has endured is that, “Paddington is eternally optimistic and always comes back for more, no matter how many times his hopes are dashed... he stands up for things, he’s not afraid of going straight to the top and giving them a hard stare.” His lasting charm is undeniable: he has been adapted for the TV nine times since 1966, and was made into the popular live action film Paddington in 2014, which starred Ben Whishaw as the voice of Paddington. Its sequel was released in 2017 and received three Oscar nominations, and a third film is reportedly in the works, currently titled Paddington in Peru.