BONNIE MAGIC WITH A 'ROCK STAR' BEAR

Paddington is the great British musical we all need right now.

- With STEFAN KYRIAZIS

Happily, more of that marmalade-coated magic is treacling, sorry trickling, into our lives with the ridiculously hummable soundtrack out now on digital, and CD and vinyl from May 22.

While I squawk along at home, Bonita Melody Lysette Langford melodiously belts it out every night at London's Savoy Theatre.

Bonnie, who plays feisty housekeeper Mrs Bird, tells me she loves hiding in the wings every night to watch the moment Paddington appears.

"He's a rock star, people scream," she grins. "Then start to tear up, adults and kids. It's beautiful.

"There's something terribly magical about him. Your cynicism and all your angst drop away at something so honest and pure. Paddington disarms everyone by showing us the way we hold on to things as adults is pretty silly. The lovely part is, none of it is shaming or blaming. He's not judging people."

Bonnie's had more than her fair share of that. As the shrieky not shrinking Violet in 1977's Just William or constantly screaming Melanie Bush in Doctor Who (1986-1987), she's been attacked for being too earnest, too perky, too much.

"Some of the time," she laughs, "I would probably agree. Back in Doctor Who, I kind of was too big but I have always given a hundred percent, done my best with the tools I had."

Bonnie is thrilled to be back in the Whoniverse as a more substantial Melanie. "She has moved on from running and screaming at monsters.

"There's a long way to go but we're not set dressing any more. Everyone should be seen and heard for who we are, and I don't mean just women."