Brits wanted to see Attenborough, Paddington and 1966 World Cup on new banknotes

When it was announced last month that historical figures including Sir Winston Churchill would be dropped from Bank of England notes, there was uproar.

It was the ‘definition of woke’, Reform leader Nigel Farage fumed. Kemi Badenoch of the Tories suggested it was ‘erasing our history’.

To add insult to injury, the wartime PM – alongside fellow great Brits Jane Austen, JMW Turner and Alan Turing – was being replaced by cuddly images of wildlife.

But now, we’ve been given a glimpse into an alternative world where some of the public’s other top picks found their way to the back of the bank note.

A freedom of information request from the Press Association has revealed themes including ‘guide dogs’ and ‘Paddington Bear’ were among those suggested when the Bank asked for design ideas.

All the way up in third place was perennial fantasy dinner party guest Sir David Attenborough, who will turn 100 in less than two weeks’ time.

Considerably further down was something else marking a significant anniversary this year – England’s victory in the 1966 World Cup.

Several of the top suggestions appear logical until closer inspection.

In 11th place was ‘food’, which conjures images of chicken tikka masala, mushy peas, or gravy-soaked Yorkshire pudding splashed across the note.

Down in 17th place – just ahead of the dear departed Sycamore Gap tree in 18th – is TV characters. How would King Charles feel about sharing a slip of polymer with Kat Slater, Daddy Pig or the Vicar of Dibley?

The top theme among respondents, with a resounding 60% picking it as one of their preferred topics, was… nature.

Nigel Farage will be horrified to see this ‘woke’ issue seems to have infected the minds of the broader general public.

These were the top ten themes suggested by the public:

• Wildlife
• National parks
• David Attenborough
• Winston Churchill
• UK values and identity
• Historical events
• Transport
• Science and Technology
• Music
• Bridges

Bank of England chief cashier Victoria Cleland said: ‘The key driver for introducing a new banknote series is always to increase counterfeit resilience but it also provides an opportunity to celebrate different aspects of the UK.

‘Nature is a great choice from a banknote authentication perspective and means we can showcase the UK’s rich and varied wildlife on the next series of banknotes.’

The Churchill £5 note, featuring the famous Yousuf Karsh portrait from 1941, has been in circulation for just under 10 years after first being announced in 2013.

Jane Austen has been on the tenner since September 2017, while the Turner £20 note was introduced in February 2020 and the Alan Turing £50 followed in June 2021.

However, historical figures more broadly have been used on the Bank of England’s notes since 1970, so the shift to wildlife is a significant moment.

A second consultation this summer will determine which creatures get the honour of appearing in the upcoming series.

Unfortunately for some Brits, the announcement last month made clear: ‘The Bank will not include household pets as part of the theme.’

Presumably, the same goes for Paddington Bear.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

Comments Add as preferred source