The producers of Paddington Bear are suing satirical puppet show Spitting Image after they included the bear in a parody sketch. On the YouTube series Spitting Image: The Rest Is B*******, a puppet of Paddington Bear featured in a new sketch with Prince Harry.
The sketch showed the bear with red eyes and presented him as a drug user. They also used a South American accent and rude language, with the puppet of the bear saying: “I am from Peru, motherf*****. I am Paddington Bear from Peru.”
The parody also showed him snorting white powder and losing consciousness, as well as a sketch of Paddington interviewing Elon Musk and advertising robotic sex dolls and guns.
As reported by The Daily Mail, the producer of Paddington movies StudioCanal is now suing British production company Avalon, who are responsible for the sketch.
StudioCanal has filed a High Court complaint, with Deadline reporting that copyright concerns have also been raised by the producers.
As well as Paddington Bear being in the sketch, a puppet of Prince Harry was also featured, and was shown to say: “’I’m here to tell my truth and make a s*** ton of money out of podcasting as I don’t have any discernible talent.”
While Paddington is not a royal like Prince Harry is, the sketch is still likely to upset some royal fans, especially as the bear has links to Queen Elizabeth II.