FANS of furry friends will enjoy a new exhibition of one of the world’s largest collections of famous teddy bears at Newby Hall.

Broadcaster and former MP Gyles Brandreth has gifted his extensive collection of bears to the stately home, near Ripon, and the display will open on Saturday, May 28.

The collection was assembled by teddy bear enthusiasts Brandreth and his wife, Michele Brown, over many years and was previously housed at the former Teddy Bear Museum in Stratford-on-Avon.

At Newby, the collection will be on permanent display in a new purpose-built Bear House.

Bear lovers of all ages will be able to get close to world famous bears including the original star of the Paddington 1970s animated TV series; Harry Corbett’s 1950s Sooty; Muppet Show stalwart Fozzie Bear donated by Jim Henson himself; and the original Children in Need’s Pudsey bear.

Literary bears are also well represented by ‘bear of very little brain’ Winnie the Pooh and the Bear of Avon, William Shakesbeare himself, designed by Gyles Brandreth.

The collection also features a number of VIB’s– Very Important Bears – such as Lynton owned by Tony Blair, and Ragged, much loved bear of generations of the actor Richard Briers’ family.

Mr Brandreth said: “These bears are my pride and joy, a life time’s collection. When I visited Newby Hall, to make a film for The One Show about its history and heritage, I discovered this beautiful house was where the King and Queen would have been moved to in the event of an invasion during World War Two and I thought ‘If it is fit for a king, it’s fit for my bears!”