Meet Ted, my Studio Manager

Ted started here as an intern in 2014, right after my home studio was built, as part of his rehabilitation. You see, Ted was stuffed into a cardboard box and "misplaced" for 30 years (which is very distressing for a small bear).

Fortunately, he was discovered in my parents' loft just two weeks before I left the UK for America. It was too late to get him a plane ticket, but he came over on the cargo boat instead (so he could look after the contents of our house on the way).

Ted and I go back a long way: he was made for me when I was just a baby, by a lady called Betty, whose husband worked with my father. He may be looking a little threadbare in places (which comes to most well-loved bears of his age) but we went through a lot together before we got separated, and I was very pleased that he found his way back to me just in time to be part of my new life in America.

He's definitely a hard worker: he's always in before me in the morning, and he's still there when I leave in the evening. I thought that kind of dedication deserved a promotion.

Ted's always there with a smile (it seems like he's always in the very best of moods), and he tells me when the studio's getting messy and needs tidying up.

He's not great on the phone though, so don't expect to deal with him for bookings. You'll just have to talk to me instead…