he bear from Darkest Peru is the subject of a High Court battle over royalties relating to a 1970s television programme, says The Times. The dispute centres on a “gentlemen’s agreement” between Paddington author Michael Bond and television producer Graham Clutterbuck, with whom in 1976. Bond reportedly agreed to pass 10% of all future worldwide Paddington merchandise royalties on to Clutterbuck. Now Clutterbuck’s son Michael is challenging Bond’s former business Paddington and Company, claiming that his firm, Pixdene, has received only £30,000 a year on average since 2016, despite Paddington’s growing success – he has been the star of two blockbuster films in the past few years. But Paddington and Company, now owned by France’s Vivendi, insists that the sums already paid are correct.
