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'I'm very lucky to co-write Paddington movie'

Alan Chapman/Dave Benett/WireImage A group photo of a number of Paddington in Peru cast and crew members, including Olivia Colman, Ben Whishaw, Hugh Bonneville, and Emily Mortimer. In the centre of the group shot, there is a replica of Paddington Bear, who is sat on top of three stacked suitcases, eating a marmalade sandwich.Alan Chapman/Dave Benett/WireImage
The name of Gloucestershire born writer Jon Foster (third from left) featured quite high up in the credits of the latest Paddington movie, Paddington in Peru

A Cheltenham screenwriter said he was "very lucky" to be asked to co-write the latest Paddington movie.

Paddington in Peru arrived in British cinemas on 8 November, and follows famous bear in the blue duffel coat and red hat as he returns to his home country for the first time.

Jon Foster from Charlton Kings has worked with Paddington for some time, and co-wrote the late Queen's Platinum Jubilee skit with the bear.

"It's one of the best moments of a screenwriter's job to go down on set and see fantastic actors read your lines and enjoy them and make you laugh," he said.

It was more than three years ago that he was asked to co-write Paddington in Peru with his professional partner, James Lamont, and the film's existing writing team.

"We were delighted, which then very quickly turned into, 'How are we going to do this?'," he told BBC Radio Gloucestershire.

"These things take time, you've got to work long and hard; the script is very important because that is then what attracts the actors to become involved and then the whole thing starts to become a movie that's ready to be made.

"It was a great call and I'm very lucky to be involved in such a great project."

Jon Foster and James Lamont sit next to one another in a cinema, which has leather seats and wooden tables. Jon has longer greying hair, and is wearing a camel coloured shirt, as he clasps his hands together between his spread legs. James is wearing a navy cardigan and black rectangular glasses, and is sat with his hands resting on his knees.
Away from Paddington, Mr Foster (left) and Mr Lamont (right) have worked on the likes of BBC sitcom Cuckoo, a Jimmy Fallon special, and The Harry Hill Movie

Mr Foster said he "absolutely" hears the voice of Ben Whishaw, who plays the titular bear, when he is writing lines.

"He's so brilliant and he's so close to Paddington as a character himself that he feels protective over him in the same way we all do," he said.

"Famously, [Paddington] had a luggage tag around his neck that said 'Please look after this bear', and that is how we feel when we work with Paddington Bear.

"Everybody involved in the production, all of us would say, quite habitually, 'please look after this bear'," he explained.

"It's one of the best moments of a screenwriter's job to go down on set and see fantastic actors read your lines and enjoy them and make you laugh," Mr Foster said.

"Hearing people laugh at the jokes you've written, whether it's on the screen or you're sitting at home with you family watching one of the show's you've written on TV, that's why you get into this game."

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