Royal Mail reveals Paddington Bear stamps for anniversary

The marmalade-loving bear will feature on six postal stamps taken from Ivor Wood's strip cartoons.

These were originally published in the London Evening News in the late 1970s just as the character was becoming a star on television.

Wood worked closely with animation company FilmFair when designing and directing Paddington's BBC series from 1976 onwards.

Four more stamps are based on clips from the original Paddington BBC show (Royal Mail/PA Wire) (Image: Royal Mail/PA Wire)

Four more stamps have also been announced featuring moments from the popular show.

The Peruvian bear first appeared as a character in Michael Bond's classic 1958 book A Bear Called Paddington.

In recent times, Paddington Bear has gone on to star in not one but two smash-hit movies featuring Ben Whishaw as his voice.

This most recent adaptation of the character also famously starred alongside the late Queen Elizabeth II in a comedy sketch marking her platinum jubilee in 2022.

'Delightful' Paddington stamps to 'brighten up the day of anyone receiving them'

The Paddington stamps are now available for pre-order (Royal Mail/PA Wire) (Image: Royal Mail/PA Wire)

Of the new stamps, David Gold, director of external affairs and policy at Royal Mail, said: “Paddington continues to bring cheer to generations of children worldwide. These delightful stamps will brighten up the day of anyone receiving mail with a touch of Paddington’s charm.”

Rachel Clarke of the Copyrights Group added: “Paddington is a real heritage brand with a modern hero and we are delighted to be partnering with Royal Mail to celebrate 65 years since Michael Bond first introduced us to the beloved bear.”

How to get new Paddington Bear stamps as character marks 65th birthday

The stamps are not currently available to buy but they can be preordered on the Royal Mail website with these going on general sale on September 5.