Paddington creators sue Spitting Image over parody depicting the bear inappropriately

The producers of the popular Paddington films, along with the estate of Paddington’s creator Michael Bond, have filed a lawsuit against Avalon, the company behind the Spitting Image YouTube show, for copyright and design rights violations. The legal action follows the release of Spitting Image’s parody series ‘The Rest Is Bullsh*t!’, in which Paddington is portrayed as a foul-mouthed podcast host. In the sketches, Paddington swears, advertises guns and robot sex dolls, admits to using cocaine, and speaks in a strong South American accent rather than that of Ben Whishaw, the actor who voices him in the films. Episodes feature celebrity guests including Prince Harry and Elon Musk, alongside other satirical portrayals of public figures such as former US President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The Spitting Image show originally gained fame on ITV between 1984 and 1996, winning BAFTA and Emmy awards, and has recently returned on YouTube with shorter episodes. The Paddington estate and film producers have declined to comment publicly, and their legal team, Edwin Coe, has been contacted for further statements. The lawsuit underscores tensions between parody content and intellectual property rights for beloved cultural characters.