The cuddly bear from deepest darkest Peru has found a voice! 

I have a voice…Yeay!

Ben Whishaw, who played “Q” in Skyfall, will replace Colin Firth as the voice of Paddington Bear in the Weinstein Company’s Paddington, based on the popular children’s literature character. Firth departed the project in June when he admitted he couldn’t ‘find the voice’.

The NEW Voice of Paddington!

Even Producer David Heyman admitted to the Daily Mail that Firth’s voice was “too mature” for the part; the film needed a slightly younger voice for the beloved bear who loves Marmalade sandwiches. (Augh, even Colin has to deal with ‘ageism’ in Hollywood!)

I’m sure Ben will make a fine Paddington. I remember him particularly from Brideshead Revisited but you really saw him stretch his acting chops as King Richard in The Hollow Crown!

Ben as King Richard in The Hollow Crown

Nicole Kidman, Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Julie Walters, and the new Doctor Who, Peter Capaldi will also lend their voices to the film which is due out this Christmas. 

Lady Anglophile…hugging her Paddington Bear as we speak.