GRIN AND BEAR IT

Bonnie Langford tells us why she's thrilled to be starring in Paddington the Musical

- NICKY MORRIS

Bonnie Langford has done it all, from playing Madame Thénardier in Les Misérables in the West End to starring on Broadway as Roxie Hart in Chicago.

Now, more than 50 years after making her stage debut, the actress, 61, is adding another acclaimed production to her long list of theatre credits: Paddington the Musical.

“You mention Paddington and everyone lights up, so to be involved with something that’s so beloved already is fantastic,” says Bonnie, speaking backstage at London’s Savoy Theatre, where the musical is enjoying a hugely popular run.

The Surrey-born star, known to many as Mel Bush in the BBC’s long-running sci-fi series Doctor Who, plays Mrs Bird in the new stage production, which is based on the characters from Michael Bond’s books. The story is inspired by the award-winning 2014 film starring Hugh Bonneville and Sally Hawkins.

Although the musical opened only recently, it has already received a royal seal of approval. The Prince of Wales hailed the production as “fantastic” last month after watching the cast perform at this year’s Royal Variety Performance.