Jeremy Clarkson's mother Shirley made a fortune creating a VERY recognisable toy - and she claims he wouldn't have a career without it
Jeremy Clarkson's mother Shirley's Christmas present to her children one year made their family a fortune after she gifted the TV star and his sister a stuffed toy.
The Clarkson's Farm star, 65, received the first ever Paddington Bear prototype after his mother handmade the toys as a present for her young children.
After the toys were admired by friends, Shirley and her husband Eddie began making unofficial teddies in the 1970s and selling them in local shops.
However, Paddington Bear author Michael Bond heard about them being sold without his knowledge and considered trying to sue the couple for copyright infringement.
But a chance meeting between Michael and the Clarksons in a lift where they were introduced by a mutual acquaintance brought a resolution to the conflict.
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During the conversation the two parties struck a deal which meant that they were able to continue manufacturing and selling the Paddington Bear toys.
Revealing how they made an agreement that suited both sides, he told the Sunday Times last year: 'I got in the lift with Shirley and Eddie.
'They were terribly nice and pretended it had all been a mistake - and we were friends by the time we got out of the lift. I gave them a licence.'
Shirley previously confessed that her son Jeremy might not have the successful TV career he has today without her innovation.
She told AutoTrader: 'Without Paddington Bear, Jeremy might not have carved out his star-studded path on TV.'
The benefits of their business allowed the couple to enrol Jeremy in top private schools Hill House School in Doncaster and Repton School in Derbyshire.
The Paddington Bear website says: 'The very first Paddington bear soft toy was designed in the UK by a lady called Shirley Clarkson. She made it as a Christmas present for her children, Joanna and Jeremy Clarkson (who was to go on to become a world famous motoring journalist).
'So many people admired Shirley's Paddington that she started to make some more until her company, Gabrielle Designs and was granted an official licence to sell them in the UK in 1972.'
Following his privileged upbringing, Jeremy trained as a journalist and began working in local news before working on Top Gear magazine.
He then started filming for the old Top Gear programme on the BBC in the 1990s before masterminding the 2001 reboot alongside James May and Richard Hammond.
Last week it was revealed that the Clarkson's grade II-listed family home had gone up for sale for a hefty £1.5 million.
Rowland Bridge House in the historic market town of Tickhill, in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, features five bedrooms, three bathrooms, four reception rooms, and a 'large living kitchen'.
The home is located just a few miles away from the former Top Gear presenter's childhood school, the prestigious Hill House School.
The two-floor property, which features a walled south-facing garden and orangery, has waterside views over a large duck pond.
The 5,000 square-foot home, which is just two hours from London by public transport, has now gone on the market with a guide price of £1,475,000.
Lister Haigh's Nick Talbot said: 'It's a magnificent family home in the highly sought after, historic and picturesque market town of Tickhill which is very popular due to its excellent range of independent shops, restaurants, and amenities, as well as offering easy access to the A1(M), M18 and M62.
'The property blends period features and charm with an excellent finish, which includes media and sound systems together with remote heating and security systems, which will all appeal to buyers looking for a standout family home.'
He added: 'Rowland Bridge House is full of history and during the 1970s it was the childhood home of motoring journalist and star of Clarkson's Farm, Jeremy Clarkson.
'It's also where he famously played with the world's first ever Paddington Bear, after his mother, Shirley Clarkson, started making the soft toys without consent.
'However, she was later granted licencing rights by Paddington's author, Michael Bond, to manufacture and export the bears throughout the world.'
It is thought the Clarkson family sold the home in 2016 and that it is currently owned by a semi-retired estate agent.
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