Paddington Bear’s meeting with a BBC News journalist appears to have captured the imagination of fans after the marmalade-loving mammal made his debut in a West End musical.
The bear, played by two different actors, had an encounter with David Sillito on stage at the Savoy Theatre, leaving BBC News’ arts correspondent somewhat speechless.
“Oh my goodness … it’s Paddington,” Sillito exclaims in a clip that has been viewed more than 3M times on TikTok and gone viral elsewhere. “I don’t really know what to say. I’m having a little moment here.”
“It’s very nice to meet you,” the bear responds. “Take your time,” he adds.
The encounter was engineered to promote Paddington: The Musical, which held its first preview showing on Saturday evening in London.
Paddington Bear is played by James Hameed (off-stage performer and remote puppeteer) and Arti Shah (on-stage performer), with producers Sonia Friedman and Eliza Lumley keeping some of the technical wizadry under wraps.
Others involved in bringing the bear to life include designer Tahra Zafar, physicality associate director Audrey Brisson, remote puppetry coach Phill Woodfine, and casting director Annabelle Davis. The alternate Paddington on-stage performers are Abbie Purvis and Ali Sarebani.
Based on Michael Bond’s 1958 book A Bear Called Paddington and the 2014 feature adaptation Paddington, producers included Sonia Friedman Productions, StudioCanal, and Eliza Lumley Productions on behalf of Universal Music UK.
As previews commence, Paddington: The Musical producers announced Saturday that the production has been extended to October 25, 2026.