April 1st,
a day of playful pranks, hoaxes, and laughter (sometimes!) – that’s
April Fool’s Day!
While the exact origins of the tradition remain unclear, some theories trace it back to medieval Europe. There’s a possibility it’s linked to the shift from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar in the 16th century, where those who continued to celebrate New Year’s Day on April 1st became the target of pranks.
International Fools
in some countries like in France, Belgium and Italy the tradition called ‘Poisson d’avril’/‘Pesce d’aprile’ which mean ‘April fish’. It involves placing a paper fish on the unsuspecting prank victim’s back, and shouting ‘Poisson d’avril’/‘Pesce d’aprile’ when they discover the fish.
The Swedish version also involves a fish, more specifically a herring: when someone pulls a prank they say the rhyme ‘April April din dumma sill,’ which means ‘April April you stupid herring.’
Day of the Lie
However April Fool’s day is celebrated mostly in Western Europe countries and the USA, it is known also known in Brazil as the ‘dia da mentira’, or ‘day of the lie’.
On that day, News outlets will put out ridiculous headlines with false claims, and people will tell white lies to fool or prank their friends.
The BBC’s Best April Fool’s Day Pranks
This tradition has become well-established in this country too, and who better to deliver some good-natured trickery than the BBC? Here are three of their most ingenious April Fool’s Day pranks:
1. The Great Spaghetti Harvest (1957)
This one’s a classic! In 1957, the BBC’s esteemed program ‘Panorama’ fooled viewers with a segment on the “annual spaghetti harvest” in Switzerland. The report, complete with footage of farmers climbing trees laden with “spaghetti strands” and interviews with experts, convinced many viewers of this bizarre agricultural feat.
Apparently some scenes were filmed at the (now closed) Pasta Foods factory on London Road, St Albans, in Hertfordshire!
2. Penguin Powered Flight (2008)
The BBC struck again in 2008, this time targeting our fascination with the natural world. They announced a groundbreaking discovery – a specific species of penguins had evolved the ability to fly, even long-distance flights, to be able to spend winters in the tropics! This elaborate prank had viewers questioning everything they knew about penguins…
3. Big Ben Goes Digital (1980) – The Prank that went Wrong
in 1980, the BBC announced plans to “modernize” Big Ben’s clock face, by replacing it with a giant digital display, and the iconic chime with electronic beeps. The report detailed the supposed benefits, like increased visibility and the ability to display additional information.
Unfortunately, most people did not find it funny and many complained. The public outcry was such that the BBC had to say sorry for several weeks after the incident.
These are just a few examples of the BBC’s creativity and humor when it comes to April Fool’s Day.
So today, keep an eye out – you never know what the BBC might have up their sleeve!
Disclaimer
Only today is April Fool’s Day. The 364 remaining days of the year they are called fake news and they are not as funny, usually…
Helene
