Paddington Bear Steals the Show at BAFTAs 2026
Bear in mind: this is Paddington’s first time at an award show.
But nevertheless, the beloved bear projected nothing but confidence when he took to the stage at the 2026 British Academy Film and Television Arts Awards—broadcast on E! and hosted this year by Alan Cumming—to present the award for Children’s & Family Film category.
Dressed in his signature blue toggle coat (see every star’s look here), Paddington Bear admitted to the audience he was just as “surprised” to be onstage as they were to see him, noting, “I don’t usually talk in front of lots of people, and there are rather a lot of you.”
However, he referred to his Aunt Lucy’s advice that it’s always better to face your fears. Unless, of course, “it’s a snake,” he said. “Then you have to walk away very slowly.”
But excitingly, Paddington shared that his foster mother Mrs. Brown had informed him his time on stage would mark a historic moment at the award show: “I am the first ever bear to present an award,” he revealed, before nodding to his favorite snack, “and also the first presenter to get marmalade all over a BAFTA. Sorry about that.”
And while he had a plan to “lick it off,” he quipped, “Apparently that’s not very good manners.”
As for which of the nominees in the Children’s & Family Film category—which included Boong, Arco, Lilo & Stitch and Zootropolis 2—it was Boong, a 2024 Indian Manipuri-language coming-of-age drama film, that took home the award. (See the complete list of winners here.)
Stuart Wilson/BAFTA/Getty Images for BAFTA
Soon after Paddington wrapped up his time on stage, fans quickly flooded social media to share their love for his big moment.
“This is healing something in me,” one user wrote on the BAFTA Instagram page, while another added, “This was actually so cool and wholesome.”
Another fan noted just how poignant the bear’s moment of bravery truly was.
“It’s really a beautiful thing to fire the imagination of children everywhere with this presentation,” they wrote. “There are few moments of wonder in life. I’m glad BAFTA invested in this.”
“Also,” they added, “always have a marmalade sandwich in case of emergencies.”
For more unbearably sweet moment from this year’s BAFTAs—including all the red carpet looks—read on.
Photo by Max Cisotti/Dave Benett/Getty Images
Wunmi Mosaku
Photo by Mike Marsland/WireImage
Kathryn Hahn
Photo by Joe Maher/BAFTA/Getty Images for BAFTA
Kerry Washington
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Maya Rudolph
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Paul Mescal & Gracie Abrams
Photo by Lia Toby/Getty Images
Chase Infiniti
Photo by Scott Garfitt/BAFTA via Getty Images
Kate Middleton & Prince William
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Michael B. Jordan
Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage
Emma Stone
Photo by Stephane Cardinale – Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images
Tom Blyth
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Teyana Taylor
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Hannah Waddingham
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Sadie Sink
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Timothée Chalamet
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Rose Byrne
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Kate Hudson
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Minnie Driver
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Olivia Cooke
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Carey Mulligan
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Aimee Lou Wood
Photo by Neil Mockford/FilmMagic
Maggie Gyllenhaal
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Patrick Dempsey
Photo by Stephane Cardinale – Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images
Odessa A’zion
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Alicia Vikander
Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage
Erin Doherty
Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage
Rei Ami
Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage
Glenn Close
Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage
Jessie Buckley
Photo by Stephane Cardinale – Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images
Renate Reinsve
Photo by Stephane Cardinale – Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images
Chloé Zhao
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