Hugh Bonneville Steps Away From Paddington Franchise

For fans of marmalade sandwiches and polite bears in blue duffle coats, the news is bittersweet: Hugh Bonneville, the actor who has charmed audiences as Mr. Brown in the Paddington film franchise, has announced he is unlikely to return for future installments. In a candid interview published in the February 2026 edition of Saga Magazine, Bonneville, now 62, reflected on his journey with the beloved series and the inevitability of moving on.

“I don’t think so. I really don’t. I’ve loved it, but I’m getting on a bit,” Bonneville told Saga Magazine when asked if he would reprise his role as the affable patriarch of the Brown family. “It’s a younger man’s job, but you can get other actors in and it will work just as well, because it’s all about the bear.” According to BBC, Bonneville emphasized that the heart of the Paddington stories lies with the bear himself, not the human characters. “The series can thrive without me,” he insisted, expressing confidence that new talent could easily step into the role without diminishing the films’ charm.

Bonneville’s remarks come at a pivotal moment for the franchise. Paddington Bear, first introduced to the world on October 13, 1958, by author Michael Bond, has become an enduring symbol of kindness, curiosity, and gentle humor. Over the decades, the bear from "darkest Peru" has been adapted into numerous forms, including a 1976 BBC television series narrated by the late Sir Michael Hordern. But it was the recent film adaptations, produced by StudioCanal and released in 2014, 2017, and with another slated for 2024, that brought Paddington to a new generation—and to box office success.

As Press Association reported, the films have delighted audiences worldwide, blending whimsical storytelling with a distinctly British sense of warmth and inclusivity. Bonneville’s Mr. Brown, initially skeptical but ultimately won over by Paddington’s earnestness, has been a key figure in the movies’ emotional core. Yet, as Bonneville sees it, the franchise’s longevity doesn’t rest on any single actor. “It’s all about the bear,” he repeated. “You can get other actors in and it will work just as well.”

Bonneville’s reflections extend beyond Paddington. He also addressed his time on another cultural phenomenon: Downton Abbey. The period drama, in which he played the dignified Earl of Grantham, has concluded with the feature film The Grand Finale. Looking back, Bonneville described the experience as a heartfelt farewell. “The Grand Finale really was a farewell. As we came towards the end of filming, I would take a look around each set—let’s say the library—for the last time, so that I would be able to remember,” he said in his Saga Magazine interview. “I feel enormous love for Downton. Every single day a message comes through about what it meant to someone, so I’m enormously proud… and it was a springboard for me meeting the bear [Paddington].”

As for the future of Downton Abbey, Bonneville hinted at possibilities but confirmed he would not be involved. “I wouldn’t be surprised if they make some sort of spin-off, but no, our company has left the building,” he remarked. Fans hoping for a return of the original cast will have to content themselves with memories and, perhaps, new stories set in the same universe.

The Paddington franchise, meanwhile, shows no signs of slowing down. The upcoming 2024 film is highly anticipated, and Paddington’s presence extends well beyond the silver screen. Paddington The Musical is currently enchanting audiences in London’s West End, further cementing the bear’s place in British—and global—popular culture. According to Cover Media, the musical adaptation is yet another testament to Paddington’s enduring appeal, bringing the bear’s adventures to life in new and imaginative ways.

Bonneville’s own career continues to evolve. He is set to appear as C.S. Lewis in the play Shadowlands at the Aldwych Theatre in London, a role that explores the celebrated author’s relationship with American poet Joy Davidman. It’s a new chapter for the actor, who has also recently navigated personal changes, including a split from his wife Lucinda in 2023 after 25 years of marriage. “I do feel very blessed and very content to have started a new chapter,” he shared with Saga Magazine.

For those eager to revisit Paddington’s origins, it’s worth remembering that the bear’s journey began in the pages of a children’s book over six decades ago. Since then, he has become a fixture in British homes, libraries, and—thanks to Bonneville and his colleagues—the world’s movie theaters. The 1976 BBC television adaptation, voiced by Sir Michael Hordern, was a milestone, introducing Paddington’s gentle humor to a generation of viewers. The movies, with their blend of slapstick and sincerity, have only deepened the bear’s reach, with box office numbers to match.

As FilmoGaz noted, Bonneville’s sense of closure is matched by his optimism for the franchise’s future. “The focus has always been on the beloved bear,” he told the magazine. For the actor, stepping aside is not a loss but a passing of the torch. “Younger actors could easily step into the role and the series would thrive independently of my participation,” he said, making it clear that Paddington’s adventures are far from over.

Fans will no doubt miss Bonneville’s warm, bumbling Mr. Brown, but the essence of Paddington—his kindness, curiosity, and knack for getting into (and out of) trouble—remains unchanged. The bear’s story, after all, is about finding family and belonging in unexpected places, whether that’s a London railway station or a bustling West End theater.

And so, as the curtain falls on one chapter and rises on another, both Hugh Bonneville and Paddington Bear continue to inspire, delight, and remind us all of the enduring power of a good story well told.