Paddington Bear creator Michael Bond dies aged 91

Michael Bond at Buckingham Palace in London where he received an OBE in 1997
PA
Francesca Gillett30 June 2017

Michael Bond, the creator of beloved children's character Paddington Bear, has died aged 91.

Mr Bond, who came up with the idea for the small bear in 1956 while working as a TV cameraman for the BBC, died at home on Tuesday following a short illness.

Ann-Janine Murtagh, executive publisher at HarperCollins Children's Books, said in a statement: "I feel privileged to have been Michael Bond's publisher - he was a true gentleman, a bon viveur, the most entertaining company and the most enchanting of writers.

"He will be forever remembered for his creation of the iconic Paddington, with his duffle coat and Wellington boots, which touched my own heart as a child and will live on in the hearts of future generations.

"My thoughts and love are with his wife, Sue, and his children Karen and Anthony."

The writer became a beloved giant of children's literature after his first book, A Bear Called Paddington, was published in 1958 about the bear from Peru who loves marmalade.

Over his lifetime, English author Bond wrote 150 books in total, including 25 additional books about Paddington.

He was inspired to create the character after he bought a small toy bear on Christmas Eve in 1956 when he saw it left on a shelf in London department store Selfridges and felt sorry for it.

Bond took it home as a present for his wife and named it Paddington because they were living near the railway station of the same name at the time.

Charlie Redmayne, HarperCollins CEO, said: "Michael Bond was one of the great children's writers and at HarperCollins we are immensely fortunate to have published him and to have known him.

"He was a wonderful man and leaves behind one of the great literary legacies of our time."

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