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Sixteen years ago, a British woman legally changed her name to Pudsey Bear for charity, but she hasn’t been able to get a passport since.
Since 1985, Pudsey Bear has served as the mascot for BBC Children in Need. (Photo Credits: Reddit)
Changing one’s name is a personal choice for many and is often connected to a big life event. For Pudsey Bear, who was once Eileen De Bont, however, it was a charitable gesture. As a way to raise money for ‘Children in Need’, she put up for auction the chance to pick her new name in 2009. According to Metro, she has subsequently embraced her unique individuality after the UK Deed Poll Service placed the highest price of £4,000 (about Rs 4.4 lakh).
Although her name appears on official documents like bank accounts, council records, and bills, it is not acknowledged by the UK Passport Office. Officials have consistently denied her a passport under Pudsey Bear, despite her legal name change, calling it “frivolous” and raising possible copyright issues.
After 16 years, she is now embroiled in a legal battle to be identified by the name she has happily worn for more than 10 years.
“They just won’t let me be who I am. All my bills, my bank details, the GP, my local health trust—everywhere else has accepted my new name, everywhere except the Passport Office,” Pudsey Bear told Metro.
In 2009, her first passport application was denied. She recently asked again, and officials informed her that the same problem still existed: her name might be a copyright violation of the BBC’s Children in Need mascot.
“I thought that after 16 years; the passport agency could hardly call my name ‘frivolous’. It is my name and has been for 16 years, so I would like it on the front page of my passport next to my photograph,” she added.
Reportedly, she is adamant about sticking with her chosen name despite the difficulties. “I don’t see the need to have to change my name back. I have been Pudsey now for 16 years, and I like my name,” she further claimed.
With over 32,000 YouTube subscribers, Pudsey Bear’s tarot reading business, Northern Light Tarot, is legally registered under her preferred name.
Since Pudsey Bear has been the mascot of BBC Children in Need since 1985, the Home Office, a government agency has recommended her to get permission from the BBC before reapplying.
- Location :
Delhi, India, India
