McFly’s Tom Fletcher explains why Paddington the Musical had to have “the best songs” he had written

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What’s the view from your sofa?

We have a very energetic puppy who loves to chew on everything! Whenever we try to relax on the sofa and watch TV, we immediately have to get up and rescue whatever he’s decided to munch on before he ruins it.

When you finally get the chance to sit down, who controls the remote?

My nine-year-old son, Buddy, pretty much controls the TV remote – my wife, Giovanna Fletcher, and I rarely get to choose what we watch!

What’s Buddy been making you watch?

Buddy is really into learning practical skills – he loves watching videos about building and fixing things, like scooters or even starting a fire. He’s a bit of a wild child and I often lose track of him, usually finding him climbed up in a tree somewhere! We recently watched ‘Shark!’ with my bandmate Dougie Poynter, which was a lot of fun. We’ve also been trying to watch ‘Clarkson’s Farm’, skipping over any strong language. And we always make time for the latest David Attenborough documentaries – anything about animals or the natural world.

You’ve written the music and lyrics for the new show Paddington the Musical. Was that stressful?

Paddington feels like a character who’s always been with us and will continue to be for generations. When creating the music for the show, I aimed for a sound that would stand alongside current musicals and still feel fresh in a few years. The entire team has poured five years of work into this, and it’s a project we all deeply care about. I knew the songs needed to be the best I’d ever written – Paddington truly deserves that.

Have you played the songs to your three sons?

My kids are really familiar with the songs, and my family has been a huge help recording demos. Whenever I need singers, I always ask my wife, sister, and sons, so they’ve been involved in the entire process with me. Dougie and Harry Judd even came to a workshop where we shared an early version, and I was relieved to see it moved them to tears – which it did!

You and Danny Jones are the first duo coaching team on The Voice UK. What’s that like?

Honestly, it’s just a really good time! I get to hang out with my friend, eat tons of candy, and listen to incredible singers. What surprised me the most was realizing we’ve been doing this for 22 years! It’s made me feel like we can actually offer some good advice, which is weird because I’ve always felt like I was just making things up as I went along! Sharing what we’ve learned on the show feels great, like we finally have something valuable to offer. It’s been such a wonderful experience.

You also find time to write children’s books. How did that come about?

I began writing for children even before becoming a parent. I’ve always been drawn to things created for kids, like animated movies, Disney films, and children’s books – I feel most creative when working on projects for them. Having my own children has been a bonus, giving me a built-in group of testers for my stories!

The Children in Need storybook, featuring Pudsey, has been turned into a cartoon. Both Pudsey and Paddington Bear stories highlight the importance of kindness – a good reminder for everyone!

The world can be complex, but simple acts of kindness really stand out. That’s what I love about Paddington, and I see a similar spirit in Pudsey. It’s been a strange and wonderful year working with these two beloved bears – both projects were incredibly meaningful and touching.

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2025-11-24 21:12