Paddington Bear Receives Official British Passport

In a delightful twist that has charmed fans worldwide, everyone’s favorite bear—unless you’re still in the camp of Winnie or rooting for the fierce character from Werner Herzog’s Grizzly Man—has been officially issued a British passport by the Home Office. This whimsical development was shared by Rob Silva, the co-producer of the upcoming film, Paddington in Peru, who revealed the unique passport was granted for the beloved bear’s travels.

Silva expressed his surprise to the Radio Times, stating, “We wrote to the Home Office, asking if we could get a replica, and they actually issued Paddington with an official passport—there’s only one.” He humorously added, “You wouldn’t think the Home Office would have a sense of humour, but under official observations, they’ve just listed him as Bear.”

According to the passport, Paddington is officially recognized as Paddington Brown, a British citizen born on June 25, with his place of birth noted as Peru—his homeland where he was raised by Aunt Lucy after becoming an orphan. In Michael Bond’s beloved stories, Paddington then makes his journey to England to live with the Brown family.

In the forthcoming film, the marmalade-loving bear returns to Peru alongside the Brown family to visit Aunt Lucy. However, their journey quickly turns into an adventure that takes them through the breathtaking Peruvian mountains and the lush Amazon rainforest.

While various cast and crew members filmed across stunning locations in Peru and Colombia, the voice of Paddington, Ben Whishaw, found himself stuck in a London basement. Whishaw shared with Radio Times, “I would have loved to have gone to Peru and Colombia, but I didn’t get to go. I was just in a basement in Soho the entire time.” He also lamented missing the opportunity to meet co-stars Olivia Colman and Antonio Banderas, although he praised their performances, stating he enjoyed them “enormously.” Thus, it seems the passport was more of a sentimental gesture than a necessity.

However, not everyone has embraced this bear-y kind gesture from the Home Office. Some critics have voiced their discontent, as reported by British tabloid The Sun. William Yarwood, media campaign manager at the TaxPayers’ Alliance, expressed skepticism, stating, “Taxpayers will be bewildered that a fictional bear received a passport.” He continued, “While Home Office mandarins might find this amusing, ordinary Brits who are suffering under the department’s inability to control immigration or bring down crime won’t. Civil servants need to be snapped back into reality.”

In these trying times, it seems a lighthearted gesture such as this is a welcome distraction. As we enjoy Paddington’s adventures, let’s remember that his story is about kindness and acceptance.

As a final note, let’s clarify: when referencing the endearing bear, we don’t need Paddington to be seen as an immigrant or treated harshly; rather, we should celebrate him as a beloved character. In fact, we could all use more of Paddington 2, widely regarded as one of the greatest sequels ever made, standing proudly alongside classics like Aliens, Before Sunset, A Shot in the Dark, and The Godfather Part II.

Paddington in Peru is set to be released on November 8.