Royal Mail release collection of Paddington Bear stamps to celebrate Peruvian bear’s 65th anniversary

The life of Paddington Bear will be celebrated by the Royal Mail with the release of ten stamps bearing the likeness of the animator Ivor Wood's beloved character. Six of the stamps are set to feature scenes from some of Wood’s original comic strip series, while four will bear imagery from the BBC television series that Wood designed and directed from 1976.

David Gold, director of external affairs and policy at Royal Mail, said he hoped the stamps will "brighten up the day of anyone receiving mail with a touch of Paddington's charm," with the marmalade sandwich eating character a beloved feature in the lives of many young person growing up since his debut in 1958.

Paddington had previously been immortalised in stamp form twice, with his likeness appearing on a stamp in 1994 and then part of a collection in 2016 celebrating 60 years of children’s television, which included Peppa Pig and Bob the Builder.

Such has been the endearing nature of Paddington Bear since his first arrival at Paddington train station that he has been adapted into two feature films and even shared lunch with Queen Elizabeth II during her Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022.

The stamp set is scheduled to be released from September 5 2023.

Where can I purchase the Paddington Bear stamp collection?

Stamp collectors can pre-order from a selection of packages from the new Paddington Bear collection by visiting the Royal Mail website dedicated to its release.

Prices range between £6.20 to £120 for a full sheet of stamps.