Pudsey Bear struggles to obtain UK passport

A British woman named Pudsey Bear is having trouble getting a passport. She changed her name from Eileen De Bont 16 years ago to support the charity Children in Need. In 2009, she auctioned the chance for someone to choose her new name, and Pudsey Bear was the winning bid at £4,000. While many organizations accept her new name, the UK Passport Office does not. Officials have called her name “frivolous” and worry about copyright issues because Pudsey Bear is also the name of the BBC's mascot for Children in Need. Pudsey Bear is upset. She has been using her new name for over a decade and wants it on her passport. She has applied for a passport before, but her requests were denied. The Home Office advised her to seek permission from the BBC before applying again. Despite these challenges, Pudsey Bear remains committed to her name. She runs a tarot reading business, which is legally registered under her chosen name. She feels there is no reason to change back and wishes to be recognized as herself.