Ananova:

The creator of Paddington Bear is denying accusations that he sold out by allowing the bear to ditch his beloved marmalade.

Michael Bond insists he did not know about the decision to use his creation to promote Marmite until "the point of no return".

Paddington appears in a TV ad showing the curious bear trying a Marmite sandwich.

In a letter to The Times, Mr Bond dismissed suggestions that he had been paid a "vast sum of money" for writing the Marmite advert.

"I should be so lucky - particularly since I didn't write it," he wrote.

He also dismissed suggestions that Paddington could be lured away from marmalade.

"It would require a good deal more than the combined current withdrawals from Northern Rock to wean him off marmalade, if then," he added.

The firm which owns the rights to Paddington's image, Paddington and Company, was reportedly paid an undisclosed sum by multinational food firm Unilever to use the bear.

Mr Bond's daughter, Karen Jankel, who is managing director of Paddington and Co, defended the company's decision.

"The point of the advert is that Paddington always has marmalade in his sandwiches. He simply tries Marmite," she said.