Is Paddington Bear well-known in your country?

@JudyEv (341743)
Rockingham, Australia
May 17, 2023 4:27am CST
I’ve never known much about the fictional character, Paddington Bear, and I’m not sure what others know of him. It seems he is dearly loved in Britain. In 1994, a stuffed Paddington Bear was the first item to be passed through from England to France when the (English) Channel Tunnel was installed. Then, in 2022, Paddington joined Queen Elizabeth II for tea and marmalade sandwiches, with both tapping their teacups to the beat of ‘We Will Rock You’. This became one of the last public appearances of the Queen before her death in September. He is mostly depicted with a battered suitcase and an old felt hat. So, is Paddington Bear a familiar character in your country? Photo courtesy: en:User:Lonpicman, Wikimedia Commons
31 people like this
34 responses
@LadyDuck (471969)
• Switzerland
17 May 23
Paddington Bear is unknown in Italy, as well as in France and here in Switzerland. I knew of it because we have read some his stories during our English classes. I loved the short movie with the Queen and the bear.
4 people like this
@LadyDuck (471969)
• Switzerland
17 May 23
@JudyEv It is a very British character.
3 people like this
@TheHorse (220068)
• Walnut Creek, California
19 May 23
@LadyDuck Can it compete with Pooh, my favorite?
2 people like this
@JudyEv (341743)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 May 23
I didn't want to assume few knew of him and then find that everybody but me was familiar with him. lol
3 people like this
@Jenaisle (14078)
• Philippines
17 May 23
Not really familiar but I've heard and read about him twice or thrice. I know the song, We Will Rock You though, I'm so familiar with it because it is often played here
4 people like this
@JudyEv (341743)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 May 23
Yes, the song is well-known. I saw the segment with the Queen and realised I knew very little about him.
2 people like this
@ShyBear88 (59347)
• Sterling, Virginia
17 May 23
In the US, Paddington isn't as well-known as some other book characters but children do know of him or have seen the movie. More so my husband and I's generation read about him. My kids only know of Paddington the Bear because of the movie.
3 people like this
@ShyBear88 (59347)
• Sterling, Virginia
17 May 23
@JudyEv Seeing as the author is British of course it's popular in its own Country. Many people across the world do know about Paddington Station and learned heard of Paddington the Bear.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (341743)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 May 23
So it seems he is best known in Britain. I wondered if I was the only one who didn't know about him. lol
• Indonesia
17 May 23
I've never heard/seen Paddington Bear before. Thank you for sharing!
2 people like this
@JudyEv (341743)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 May 23
Thanks for letting me know. Now I know he is only really known in Britain but not so much in other countries.
1 person likes this
@Beestring (14672)
• Hong Kong
17 May 23
Do not think it's a familiar character here.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (341743)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 May 23
It seems not. He's best known in Britain it seems.
1 person likes this
• United Kingdom
18 May 23
Paddington bear is very much popular here in the UK. I always remember him from my childhood and it was just last year he did a little skit with the Queen for her Platinum Jubilee, that was a lot of fun to watch and really showed that the Queen had a fun side to her.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (341743)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 May 23
I saw the skit and enjoyed it. The Queen had a very good sense of humour.
@JudyEv (341743)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 May 23
@barca160 He was featured in some children's books and became quite a favourite.
• Indonesia
18 May 23
It must be very nice to see the bear because in my country there are none and even I have just heard of it.
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (93739)
• United States
17 May 23
Yes, Paddington Bear is well known here, but definitely not as much as in England, which of course, you’d stated the reasons for.
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (93739)
• United States
18 May 23
@JudyEv Are you kidding?! I can’t believe most of the American mylotters have said that. He was all over the place when I was a child, and my best friend had an actual Paddington Bear when she was eight. My niece, Amyra has even seen both (fairly) recent Paddington Bear movies. He kind of had a steady reputation. Never wildly popular, but never forgotten.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (341743)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 May 23
@AmbiePam It's interesting to read his story in Wikipedia. The books sold really well there.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (341743)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 May 23
Oh wow! Most of the answers from America have said they don't know of Paddington. It's funny how some things migrate across the oceans but others don't.
1 person likes this
@allknowing (137553)
• India
18 May 23
Never heard of this bear. I only have teddy bear soft toys and one was gifted to me by my online friend who visited me a few years ago.
1 person likes this
@allknowing (137553)
• India
18 May 23
@JudyEv i was searching for a photo that is stored in the disorganized photo folders but just could not find it (lol)
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@allknowing (137553)
• India
18 May 23
@JudyEv Hurray!! I found it It was in the folder that had the name of my friend
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@JudyEv (341743)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 May 23
My younger son loved his teddy bears. The last was only gifted on a few years ago.
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (137460)
• United States
17 May 23
The name is familiar here but I didn't know there was a book with him as the main character. I just looked him up and read about the refugee children brought to London during one of the Wars.
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (137460)
• United States
17 May 23
@JudyEv I've never read one of the books about him so I may have just read his name in some other book. It's hard to tell where or why I learn some things. I read too many books.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (341743)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 May 23
@DaddyEvil They're kids' books so it's perfectly reasonable that you mightn't have read any of them.
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@JudyEv (341743)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 May 23
It seems there are a lot of books about him. I was going to write more about him but then I thought 'well, maybe everyone but me knows it all anyway!'
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121656)
• Gainesville, Florida
18 May 23
I know of Paddington Bear, but am not very familiar with him. I do remember hearing stories when I was a kid, but I can’t recollect them very well. There was a movie made a few years ago that I think had moderate success in the US. Otherwise, I think he is mainly a British obsession.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121656)
• Gainesville, Florida
18 May 23
@JudyEv Winnie the Pooh is much more popular here in the US than Paddington. You can only have so many adorable bears to love!
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@JudyEv (341743)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 May 23
@moffittjc That's very true. I could never cope with the name - Winnie the Pooh.
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@JudyEv (341743)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 May 23
Yes, it would seem so. A few other-than-British have heard of him but not many.
1 person likes this
@Ronrybs (19589)
• London, England
17 May 23
That's a yes from me. I regularly use Paddington Station, where there is a statue. Best Paddington I have seen was in a bigfoot mock video and Paddington shambled by!
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@JudyEv (341743)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 May 23
I think this statue is from the station. That sounds a comical appearance. Good for Paddington.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (341743)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 May 23
@Ronrybs It's good he's getting around. I'm surprised Vince didn't see him out on the Nullarbor.
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@Ronrybs (19589)
• London, England
18 May 23
@JudyEv Yes, good to know he is roaming free in the American forests!
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@aninditasen (16505)
• Raurkela, India
18 May 23
No, he is not. Can you tell us the significance of this Paddington bear.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (341743)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 May 23
@aninditasen I've written more about him now. He was a stowaway and when his aunt had to go into care (she was looking after him), she told him to go to England.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (341743)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 May 23
He is a fictional character and was very popular with children over the years. There has also been several films made which feature him and his human family.
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@aninditasen (16505)
• Raurkela, India
18 May 23
@JudyEv What is he like? Why that tattered suitcase? Does it signifies a poor bear who has nowhere to go?
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@BabeSays (8575)
• Mauritius
18 May 23
Nope I don't know about him and he isn't known in Mauritius. Well that's what I think.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (341743)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 May 23
Some have heard of him but not others. He is best known in England for sure.
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@JudyEv (341743)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 May 23
@BabeSays He is really a very familiar icon there.
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@BabeSays (8575)
• Mauritius
18 May 23
@JudyEv Oh England. I kinda felt he looked familiar but I knew for sure not in Mauritius. During my stay in the UK, I've seen him many times. I think on buses and other places.
1 person likes this
@jiwonnie (443)
• Philippines
17 May 23
I'm pretty forgetful but I think I have never heard of the Paddington Bear before. Thank you for sharing!
2 people like this
@JudyEv (341743)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 May 23
It seems it's just England that is familiar with him.
@Tampa_girl7 (50580)
• United States
2 Sep 23
I’m more familiar with Winnie the Pooh , but I have seen Paddington.
1 person likes this
@Tampa_girl7 (50580)
• United States
4 Sep 23
@JudyEv yes, they do.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (341743)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Sep 23
Some children's book characters become very popular, that's for sure.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (80635)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
18 May 23
Funny you should mention this. My Martin went to visit his son many years ago in the UK. I still have the photos take a look at who he is sitting next to,
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@RasmaSandra (80635)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
18 May 23
@JudyEv that was taken in London in 2007 it is the same statue. I mentioned you in reference to this post and found another interesting photo of Martin taken at that time,
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@JudyEv (341743)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 May 23
@RasmaSandra Thanks. I've seen your post now.
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@JudyEv (341743)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 May 23
How 'bout that?? It's the exact same bear, isn't it?
1 person likes this
@Fleura (30539)
• United Kingdom
17 May 23
I think he's a particularly British institution! He was an animated (with paper cut-out characters) children's TV series back in the 1970s and 80s, and there were/are a series of books. Now a new generation has been introduced to him through two films.
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@Fleura (30539)
• United Kingdom
17 May 23
@JudyEv Darkest Peru, no less. I think you should write more about him.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (341743)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 May 23
I was going to write more about him being born in Peru, blah, blah then I thought, well, maybe everyone knows this.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (341743)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 May 23
@Fleura Maybe I will as there was some interesting stuff about him.
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@TheHorse (220068)
• Walnut Creek, California
19 May 23
I have heard of it. But that's it.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (220068)
• Walnut Creek, California
21 May 23
@JudyEv Yep. Winnie the Pooh is HUGE here.
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@JudyEv (341743)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 May 23
It's interesting how some things make it over the oceans and others don't.
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18 May 23
I have not heard about this bear in India
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@JudyEv (341743)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 May 23
It's a fictional character that features in some books written for children.
@JudyEv (341743)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 May 23
@sathviksouvik The photo is of the Paddington Bear statue. He always wears a battered hat. I'm going to write more about him.
18 May 23
@JudyEv yes that is fine. But in reality how the bear looks I am also curious to know
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@Treborika (17850)
• Mombasa, Kenya
18 May 23
For me I think they are not be popular in my country so to speak
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@JudyEv (341743)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 May 23
I can understand that. I don't think he is very well known in Australia but I could be wrong.
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@Treborika (17850)
• Mombasa, Kenya
18 May 23
@JudyEv I too think so
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