Friday, October 10, 2025 - StudioCanal, the production company behind the beloved Paddington films, has filed a lawsuit against Avalon, the producers of Spitting Image, after the satirical show portrayed the iconic bear as a drug-fueled podcaster.
The dispute stems from an episode titled Spitting Image
Presents: The Rest is Bulls!t*, released over the summer, in which Paddington
Bear, known for his marmalade sandwiches and gentle manners, was
reimagined as a foul-mouthed, cocaine-snorting podcast host.
StudioCanal, which owns the rights to the character created
by Michael Bond, is suing Avalon in the UK High Court for alleged copyright and
design right infringement. According to Deadline, the complaint raises concerns
over how the parody used the Paddington likeness, though the full details of
the claim have not yet been made public.
In the controversial sketch, Spitting Image cast Paddington
as the co-host of a mock podcast with a caricature of Prince Harry, parodying
the style of popular shows like The Rest Is Politics. The bear, voiced in the
sketch with a gruff tone, bragged about his “healthcare routine” consisting of
“100% Peruvian, biodynamic, organic, catastrophic cocaine.”
At one point, the bear mocked his usual portrayal, saying,
“I don’t really talk like Ben Whishaw,” before switching into a stereotypical
accent and shouting, “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 starring role in the Netflix series Narcos, as
Pablo Esco-bear. It is a joke. Laugh, muchachos.”
The sketch also featured spoofs of Elon Musk, Donald Trump,
and UK Labour leader Keir Starmer. In one scene, the bear tells Musk, “You are
too much genius for one planet. As I say about my cocaine, it is only right to
share.” The episode ended with the bear snorting a white powder before
collapsing, apparently unconscious.
Paddington Bear, first introduced in 1958, has long been a
symbol of kindness and decency in British culture. The character’s
family-friendly image, especially following the success of Paddington
(2014) and Paddington 2 (2017), has made him one of the most cherished
figures in children’s entertainment.
StudioCanal’s lawsuit accuses Avalon of tarnishing that
reputation through what it views as a vulgar and unauthorized depiction. A
representative for StudioCanal said the company is determined to “protect the
integrity and legacy of Paddington Bear,” though no further public comment has
been made.
Spitting Image, which first aired in 1984, became famous for
its sharp political and celebrity satire, using exaggerated puppet caricatures
to lampoon figures such as Margaret Thatcher, the Royal Family, and world
leaders. The show was cancelled in 1996 due to declining viewership but was
revived in 2020 on BritBox. After two seasons, it was cancelled again, only to
re-emerge on YouTube this year with shorter 10–15-minute sketches.
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