logo
From singing nappies to taxi-style toilets: would you have fallen for these April fools?

From singing nappies to taxi-style toilets: would you have fallen for these April fools?

The Guardian01-04-2025

In an era when legitimate news stories range from US officials adding a journalist to a group chat planning a war to a miniature dachshund going feral on an Australian island for 16 months, it is increasingly hard for media outlets to invent ridiculous but plausible hoax stories for April Fools' Day. Nevertheless, the tradition persists, and brands have been more active than ever in leveraging the one day of the year when outlandish boasts about their products might raise a smile rather than ire.
The nappy brand Rascals claimed to be launching a new range that would play a jingle every time it sensed a tinkle of a different kind. Experienced parents will be well aware that most humans already come equipped with a highly attuned detection system, in the shape of olfactory organs.
Birds Eye, meanwhile, were offering to solve one of life's great mysteries – namely, what happens to the bits of potato dispensed with when making the holes in their potato waffles? The answer: from 1 April, they became their own spin-off product, Potato Waffholes.
Hyundai announced the launch of the Mobilet, a sort of Uber for toilets – a self-driving cubicle that is summoned by app to come and meet you in your moment of need. The futuristic-looking vehicle uses face recognition to grant access, and boasts ambient lighting and noise-cancelling technology to make for a relaxing bathroom experience for all.
The digital world has, of course, opened up a whole new dimension for pranking, and on Tuesday morning, aircraft aficionados were surprised to see something unusual taking flight, according to Flightradar24, at least. It claimed its most tracked flight was #AF9999, a resurrected Air France Concorde flying from Paris to New York. The supersonic craft was retired in 2003.
If you are in the market for nostalgia, then the Royal Albert Hall might be a better destination than New York. The venerable institution announced plans for an Immersive Nokia 3310 Experience, paying respects to the famously reliable mobile phone with performances of classic ringtones and alarms by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and the chance to watch expert YouTube gamers face off playing Snake II on a giant HD screen at the iconic venue.
Pets are a reliable source for prank announcements. In London, Santander announced some of its rental bikes would come with a sidecar, so you could bring your pooch along for the ride, while John Lewis said it was introducing a pun-laden 'pawsonal shopping' service for dogs, who would be treated to a makeover and 'pawdicure' by assistants trained at the London Canine College of Fashion.
It wasn't just brands that joined in. The social media age means anybody with a high profile can launch their own prank. Dick and Dom of 'da Bungalow' fame – remember them? – announced on Tuesday they were parting ways after almost three decades together, due to Dom's desire to study further maths and Dick's need to look after a gift shop in Shrewsbury. Meanwhile, Labour's Dawn Butler took the opportunity to announce she had joined the government as the new minister for 'hope, good vibes and positivity'.
The MP for Brent East sneaked a serious message into her tongue-in-cheek announcement, though, suggesting she would introduce legislation that required people to say something nice before complaining on social media. Butler, who has been an MP since 2005, regularly uses her platform to highlight the racist abuse directed at her.
If all this pranking is making too much of a stink for you, why not calm your spirits with two new fragrances launched today by City Cruises UK? Reflecting London and York, where their boats operate, the perfumes distill the odour of the cities' respective rivers. The Ouse-inspired scent is described as having 'woody notes', while the Thames version, perhaps appropriately given the state of Thames Water's pollution management, is said to have a more 'earthy' tone.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

All The Amazing Filming Locations In 'The Survivors', Netflix's New Thriller
All The Amazing Filming Locations In 'The Survivors', Netflix's New Thriller

Graziadaily

time7 hours ago

  • Graziadaily

All The Amazing Filming Locations In 'The Survivors', Netflix's New Thriller

There's nothing like a tense murder mystery to keep us glued to our screens, and Netflix's new crime series, The Survivors, has filled the gap in our TV schedules. If you haven't heard of The Survivors, the Australian drama flicks between the past and the present to tell the story of a coastal town, Evelyn Bay, that has been rocked with tragic deaths. The show is based on a bestselling novel by Jane Harper, and follows the story of Kieran Elliot, played by Charlie Vickers, as he returns to his hometown 15 years after losing his brother at sea in a storm. But on arriving back, he is met with another tragedy - a girl's body discovered on the beach. But alongside its twisty-turny storyline, something else has struck viewers: the gorgeous filming location. Think golden beaches, mysterious caves and rocky cliffs. Yerin Ha, who stars in the show, recently shared an Instagram post featuring some of the beautiful filming locations. As Ha's Instagram post suggests, the show was mostly filmed in Tasmania, but the production used several different locations to bring the action to life. Evelyn Bay is an entirely fictional town, which meant the crew has to get creative about where they filmed the series. Speaking with Tudum, Tony Ayres, the creator of The Survivors, said 'Evelyn Bay doesn't actually exist. Jane [Harper] made it up out of a number of different place.' The town of Evelyn Bay is bought to life through locations around Hobart, which is the capital city of Tasmania. Hobart has an urban landscape with a small population that strikes the right balance between nature and city, which the crew thought was perfect for the story. The Survivors. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2025 ©Netflix Ayres told Tudum: 'Big emotions play out in this big landscape. That's why Tasmania works so well.' The eerie, remote locations, menacing cliffs and underpopulated areas work to represent the dangers the characters face, and adds to the sense of mystery that shrouds the town. According to Netflix's' Tudum, filming also took place at Eaglehawk Neck. Eaglehawk Neck is a small village which is about a 77km drive from Hobart, and hosts an impressive rocky shoreline. The Survivors. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2025 ©Netflix Tony Ayres said that Eaglehawk Neck has 'such a gothic landscape. It's cliffs and sea caves and this pounding ocean. It really is so spectacular.' In another interview with Variety, Ayres explained why Eagle Hawk was the perfect place to film the show. 'It became very clear once we found Eagle Hawk Neck and the spectacular landscapes that the locations were going to be crucial to not just the tone of the show, but the themes of the show,' he told the outlet, adding that the landscape became integral to the story. 'We peppered the series all the way through with images from this sort of sense of foreboding that you have when you're standing on those cliff tops and seeing the caves and the ocean, the ferocity of the ocean, all of those things felt absolutely that they became emblematic of the storm, but also they felt metaphoric for the themes of the series,' he said. Alongside Eagle Hawk, some of the beach scenes were done at Freycinet Peninsula, which is part of Freycinet National Park and a place of great natural beauty. The area consists of dramatic mountain ranges and rocky cliffs which are integral to the show's atmosphere. One of these locations is Great Oyster Bay, which has breathtaking views of Schouten Island and the Hazards mountain range. Along with Tasmania, filming for The Survivors also took place in Docklands Studios in Melbourne. This location was mostly used for the interior shots, which allowed the crew to have more control over their environments. The studio is kitted out with six stages including two with waterproof pits, making it an ideal location for recreating the shows at-sea scenes. Alice Hall is the Staff Writer at Grazia UK. She was previously a Junior Features Writer for The Daily Telegraph. At Grazia, she writes news and features about pop culture, dating, health, politics and interiors.

Reality show crossover as UK fan-favourite is secretly dating Australian multi-millionaire TV icon after co-star split
Reality show crossover as UK fan-favourite is secretly dating Australian multi-millionaire TV icon after co-star split

Scottish Sun

time9 hours ago

  • Scottish Sun

Reality show crossover as UK fan-favourite is secretly dating Australian multi-millionaire TV icon after co-star split

The multi-millionaire recently sold his home for an impressive sum stars align Reality show crossover as UK fan-favourite is secretly dating Australian multi-millionaire TV icon after co-star split THERE'S been a reality crossover as a UK fan-favourite star is secretly dating an Australian multi-million TV icon, after splitting from her co-star. Ruby Adler joined the cast of Made In Chelsea back in 2020 as Reza Amiri-Garroussi's girlfriend. Advertisement 7 There's been a reality crossover as a UK fan-favourite star is secretly dating an Australian multi-million TV icon, after splitting from her co-star Credit: E4 7 Ruby hasn't had the best luck in love, after splitting from long-term boyfriend Reza Credit: E4 7 Ruby has moved on with another reality star - Australian real estate agent Gavin Rubinstein from Luxe Listings Sydney Credit: Getty 7 Gavin is a very successful real estate agent and is best known for the show he's on, which made its debut on Amazon Prime in 2021 Credit: Getty Fans will know that the pair had a very rocky relationship, and the couple, who dated on-and-off for 10 years, called it quits for good in 2022. Now, Ruby has moved on with another reality star - Australian real estate agent Gavin Rubinstein from Luxe Listings Sydney. A source told The Sun: 'They met a few months back and have been on a string of dates since - including a trip to LA where they watched the Lakers play.' Ruby's rep had no comment when approached by The Sun. Advertisement Gavin is a very successful real estate agent and is best known for the show he's on, which made its debut on Amazon Prime in 2021. The show sees Gavin, alongside other agents Simon Cohen and D'Leanne Lewis, trading some of the most exclusive properties in Sydney. Recently, the real estate reality star made a big profit after selling his Sydney home for $8million. Meanwhile, Ruby hasn't had the best luck in love, after splitting from long-term boyfriend Reza, and then dating convicted drug dealer Nicholas Sinclair, after his release from prison last year. Advertisement Ruby and Nicholas ended their relationship, and on MIC, she broke down, saying she wishes "the best for him". Made In Chelsea star Ruby Adler opens up about family heartbreak as she plans to raise awareness on E4 show Nicholas is now dating OnlyFans model Jemma Lucy, and they often share racy photos together. It was also revealed that Ruby had a "secret fling" with All Stars winner Tom Clare, and the two were messaging just hours before he entered the Love Island villa back in January. A source said at the time: "Tom and Ruby were seeing each other for several weeks before he went on Love Island All Stars. Advertisement "After Tom slid into her DMs, they met up in person and started dating, with Ruby often staying over at Tom's place." Tom is now dating Molly Smith, with the pair winning Love Island All Stars last year. 7 Ruby and her new man have enjoyed a trip to LA together Credit: Instagram/@rubyadler 7 They've also been to watch the Lakers play Credit: Instagram/@g_rubinstein Advertisement

‘Son of Concorde' jet that could fly from London to NYC in 3.5 hours steps closer to reality as major ban is lifted
‘Son of Concorde' jet that could fly from London to NYC in 3.5 hours steps closer to reality as major ban is lifted

Scottish Sun

time14 hours ago

  • Scottish Sun

‘Son of Concorde' jet that could fly from London to NYC in 3.5 hours steps closer to reality as major ban is lifted

Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) CONCORDE-STYLE flights capable of blasting passengers from London to New York City in 3.5 hours have edged closer to reality after a major ban was lifted. "Son of Concorde" maker Boom Technology has welcomed President Trump's executive order that effectively lifts the 52-year ban on civil supersonic flight over land in the US. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 Boom managed its first supersonic flight in January Credit: Boom Supersonic 4 Company is now making supersonic airplanes for everyday passengers Credit: Boom Supersonic 4 Tight restrictions on supersonic flights have been in place due to the loud sonic boom created by the shock waves from a flying object travelling faster than the speed of sound. "America once led the world in supersonic aviation, but decades of stifling regulations grounded progress," the White House said. "This Order removes regulatory barriers so that U.S. companies can dominate supersonic flight once again." To hit supersonic speeds, an airplane needs to travel at 768 miles per hour. But Boom Technology has been working on a jet that has no audible sonic boom. The firm managed to make its XB-1 test jet fly faster than the speed of sound for the first time in January this year. Writing on X, the company welcomed the latest move, saying: "Thank you, President Trump, for unlocking the future of faster and quieter travel. "This presidential action comes after a bipartisan group of key Congressional leaders introduced the Supersonic Aviation Modernization Act on May 14, 2025. "The legislation calls on the FAA to revise the regulation prohibiting supersonic flight over land." After finishing tests with XB-1 in January, Boom is now focused on building a plane suitable for passengers called Overture. Boom 'son of Concorde' flies supersonic for first time Some 130 aircraft pre-orders have already been made by the likes of American Airlines, United Airlines, and Japan Airlines. The executive order does come with a set of rules that the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has been directed to impose. An interim "noise-based certification standard" must be established that considers "community acceptability, economic reasonableness, and technological feasibility". Why did the Concorde fail? CONCORDE was the supersonic passenger jet considered the ultimate luxury in air travel. Air France and British Airways announced they would be retiring their fleet of Concorde planes on April 10, 2003. The plane had its first commercial flight on January 21, 1976, so was retired after 27 years of service and 50,000 flights. Several reasons led to the decision to retire Concorde. Air France and British Airways cited low passenger numbers and high maintenance costs. By the early noughties, the planes were outdated and expensive to run, despite being incredibly advanced when they were first introduced almost three decades previously. The 9/11 terrorist attack in 2001 majorly impacted passenger numbers, as people opted not to fly. Passenger numbers also fell after an Air France Concorde crashed just minutes after taking off from Paris in July 2000. The disaster killed all 109 people on board and four others on the ground. The plane ran over a small piece of metal on the runway, which burst a tyre and caused an engine to ignite. It was also the only aircraft in the British Airways fleet that required a flight engineer. Image credit: Alamy Trump was presented with a miniature model of Overture earlier this year from Boom Technology's CEO. He suggested that Boom should manufacture Air Force One - the President's personal plane - and made a dig at China President Xi Jinping. "Air Fore Once should be supersonic. Xi [President of China] can keep his 747-8," he wrote. 4 Trump posed with a miniature model of Boom Technology's Overture jet Credit: x/bscholl

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store