In the annals of peculiar British tales from the late 20th century, few stories captivate quite like that of a Scottish couple and the colossal grizzly bear they raised as their own child. Andy and Maggie Robin from Clackmannanshire shared their home and their lives for a quarter of a century with Hercules, a bear who grew to a staggering 9 feet tall and 65 stone.
A Family Like No Other
Their remarkable story is the subject of a new, moving BBC Two documentary, Hercules The Bear: A Love Story. Maggie Robin, now 76, describes their time together as a definitive "love story" between the three of them. "No one's lived like that with a bear before," she reflects. "He was our wee boy." The couple, who had no children of their own, welcomed Hercules into their family as a six-month-old cub in 1974, acquiring him from the Highland Wildlife Park in Kincraig for £50.
Life with Hercules was extraordinarily domestic. He ate fry-ups at the kitchen table, lounged by the fire, and even enjoyed the occasional pint of shandy or Babycham in the pub the Robins ran. Maggie cooked endlessly for her fussy eater, preparing eggs, beans, spaghetti bolognese, Marks & Spencer prawns, and birthday cakes complete with candles. Andy, a champion wrestler and lumberjack, would run over moors, swim in lochs, and play-wrestle for hours with his furry companion.
The Great Escape and Rise to Stardom
Hercules's life took a dramatic turn in 1980. After filming a television advert for Kleenex toilet paper in the Outer Hebrides, the bear vanished during a swim. His disappearance sparked a 24-day nationwide hunt involving police, the Army, and locals using helicopters, boats, and tranquilliser guns. He was eventually found, 15 stone lighter, rummaging through bins on North Uist.
This incident catapulted Hercules to international fame. He became a superstar, meeting Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, appearing alongside Roger Moore in the James Bond film 'Octopussy' in 1983, and gracing chat shows across the UK, America, Australia, Japan, and Italy. He was even crowned 'Personality of the Year' by the Scottish Tourist Board.
A Love Story's End and Lasting Legacy
The trio's magical life continued until February 4, 2000, when Hercules died after a period of illness. Andy, who passed away in 2019 aged 86, was devastated. "Andy was just lost. His focus for life, his everything, had just been whipped away," says Maggie. The bear is buried at Langass Woods on North Uist, with Andy laid to rest beside him.
The documentary reveals that two years after Hercules's death, a heartbroken Andy asked Maggie if they could get another bear. This time, she put her foot down. The extraordinary, sometimes strained, but ultimately devoted relationship between man, woman, and bear remains a unique chapter in British social history, a testament to a bond that defied all convention.
