Latest news with #McVitie
Daily Mirror
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
People are astounded after realising what Wagon Wheels actually stands for
The famous biscuit has been on sale since the '40s, however not many people know the meaning behind the name of the famous chocolate sandwich biscuits. Many of us enjoy tucking into a Wagon Wheel without giving much thought to where the name comes from - but surprisingly, it has nothing to do with their circular shape. While it's easy to assume the name was inspired by their resemblance to old-fashioned cart wheels, the real reason is rooted in a popular cultural trend of the time. These iconic treats, made from two chocolate biscuits sandwiched together with marshmallow, sometimes with a layer of jam, and coated in milk chocolate have been a lunchbox favourite for generations. The beloved biscuit was first created in the 1940s by William Peschardt. He then sold the patent to Garry Weston, son of the British MP Garfield Weston. In 1948, Wagon Wheels went on sale and were first available at the Olympia Food Fair when Garry Weston introduced it as the"biggest chocolate biscuit bar" according to HuffPost. However, there were complaints that Wagon Wheels weren't "creative enough". At first, the snack was simply just marshmallow sandwiched between two biscuits and covered in chocolate - without jam, and their original name was Weston's Wagon Wheels, which was inspired by western cowboy films and is what led the iconic sweet treat to be born and now widely known as. Western movies at the time were a hugely popular cultural trend, especially those starring John Wayne, and the brand has kept the iconic name ever since. However, Burton's Biscuits now owns the famous Wagon Wheel brand, and according to their website, say there are 125 million Wagon Wheels are purchased a year. Another iconic biscuit favourite is Hobnobs. They're a popular choice among tea-drinking Brits, but do you know how the crumbly wonder got its name? A number of viewers were taken by surprise after tuning into Channel 4's The Secret World Of Biscuits, which delved into how distinctive Hobnobs managed to 'stay ahead of the pack'. The programme explored the origins of the moreish bikkie, which first hit supermarket shelves back in 1985. Drawing inspiration from the flapjack, McVitie's added oats to a recipe to create a brand new texture - and soon realised they had a hit on their hands. According to Pam, who had the task of overseeing a McVitie's team focused on making a new biscuit that would get customers talking: "[The focus groups] said [the biscuit] was knobbly, because, you know, it wasn't a very smooth finish in the way, for instance, Digestive or Rich Tea are. And they said it looked as if somebody had made it at home, maybe made it on a hob." She continued: "And so, I wanted a name that was very easy to say and just rolled off the tongue. And so, 'Hobnob'."
New Statesman
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New Statesman
This England: With a couple of kookies…
A portrait of David Bowie took the artist Ed Chapman 180 hours to make – out of biscuits. The mosaicist created images of the 'Heroes' singer for McVitie's, which is celebrating 100 years of the Chocolate Digestive. He used more than 1,000 of the treats to fashion the faces of icons including Trevor McDonald and Judi Dench out of whole biscuits, fragments and crumbs. His works go on show 2-5 May at McVitie's Chocolate Digestives Experience in Regent Street, London. Wales Online (Amanda Welles) Suite oblivion A sofa dumped in a Gloucestershire village has become an unexpected tourist attraction – with fans taking photos and giving Tripadvisor reviews. The two-seater was abandoned on waste ground in Lydbrook, but photographer Alex Elton-Wall saw potential in the forlorn furniture – and has since taken the portraits of more than 150 locals. 'It's taken on a life of its own,' Alex said, but he expects the fly-tipped seat will soon be disposed of properly. 'All good things come to an end,' he said. Metro (Daragh Brady) Forced to eat crow The owner of a cockerel that awoke neighbours early has been ordered to pay nearly £4,000. Harold Brown let the bird make 'unacceptable levels of noise' disturbing their sleep 'from as early as 5am each day,' said New Forest District Council. Mr Brown's bid to quash a conviction for non-compliance was dismissed at Southampton Crown Court. BBC (Michael Meadowcroft) Each entry that appears in the New Statesman receives a £5 book token. Send your entries to comp@ [See also: This England: One previous owner] Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month Subscribe Related
Daily Mail
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Scarlett Moffatt shows off her weight loss as she lets her hair down while enjoying a boozy karaoke night with her friends in Spain
Scarlett Moffatt was once again flaunting her recent weight loss as she enjoyed a very boozy karaoke night in Torremolinos, Spain, over the weekend. The former Gogglebox favourite, 34, flaunted her slimmer frame in snaps posted to Instagram on Monday showing off her wild night out with her friends. Scarlett looked glamorous as she posed in a semi sheer co-ord, which was made up of a shirt and matching wide-legged trousers. Revealing that she now takes the opportunity to let her hair down now she's a mother, Scarlett said: '48 hours in Torremolinos with my besties. 'Honestly no one is wilder on a night out than a mother, I used to be very mild and now I'm a stay at home mam I'm first on the dance floor and last off the karaoke.' Alongside her sizzling shots, Scarlett shared a clip of her singing the night away during a fun karaoke session joined by one of her best friends. She looked over the moon posing for a slew of hilarious selfies with her pals, and later posed alongside two glamorous drag-queens. Scarlett also shared a fresh-faced snap of herself going make-up free while posing with a thumbs up. The former I'm A Celebrity star previously flaunted her weight loss as she enjoyed a sweet family day out to Tynemouth beach in Newcastle last week. She showeed off her new look in an album posted to Instagram and she looked happier than ever in a chic light green co-ord. Scarlett layered her two-piece in a figure-hugging leopard-print body suit as she accessorised her look with a pair of orange-tinted sunglasses. During the outing with her fiancé Scott Dobinson, Scarlett looked every inch the doting mother as she played with their son, Jude, 22 months, on the beach. Sharing the family pictures to her social media, she penned: 'Quick dash to home bargains this morning for a bucket & spade, some picky bits from m & s and we were ready for a proper British day at the beach.' Her outing comes after she displayed her jaw-dropping transformation in a strapless black and white pinstripe dress earlier in the day. She confidently struck a pose in her summer attire as she celebrated 100 years of McVitie's at an exclusive Chocolate Digestives Experience in London. The McVitie's Chocolate Digestives Experience - opening to the public May 2 - promises to be a chocolate digestives-lover's paradise. It features a Biscuit Bar, where visitors can sample never-seen-before McVitie's Chocolate Digestives creations. A gallery also showcases biscuit-based portraits of British icons David Bowie, Sir Trevor McDonald and Dame Judi Dench, created by leading mosaic artist Ed Chapman. In June 2023, Scarlett announced she had given birth via a sweet Instagram post and said Jude arrived five weeks earlier than planned. Captioning the snap, she wrote: 'Jude Xavier Dobinson. My darling boy I can't stop crying looking at you as I can't quite believe you're mine.' 'You wanted to meet us early at just 35 weeks. 'Me & your daddy love you so much that I can't even put this feeling into words.' 'Our heart and soul feels complete & ready to burst. I will forever and always be grateful to be your mammy.' 'I can't thank @scottdobby enough & to the midwives Helen & Charlotte & all of the NHS team at Durham Hospital.' 'You will all forever hold a special place in my heart for looking after us all with such compassion. Let the baby bubble commence.' Scarlett and Scott, who have known each other for more than 15 years, began dating in late 2018 and went public with their relationship in March 2019. The couple got engaged in November 2023, shortly after the birth of their first child.
Mint
05-05-2025
- Mint
Lounge Loves: People watching, rum-aged coffee and more
I know these two brothers who are now US citizens, but their biscuit of choice remains Parle-G, which they grew up eating. Yes, the same biscuit that moms dissolve in a glass of warm milk as enticement when their child is being difficult. Parle-G will be 100 in a decade or so, and there is something about snacking on a piece of history which has remained true to its crunch. In Britain, McVitie's Chocolate Digestive has turned 100, and now we are told that the right way to eat it is with the chocolate side down. I had to put this theory to test. But in our sweltering weather, the chocolate smears your fingers, more so when you are holding the dark side down. I had to put the biscuits in the fridge first to firm up the chocolate. I tried both versions, and I have to say that I prefer tasting the biscuit part first. Sometimes, you got to pick a side—not with Parle-G though. Coming home to a fridge stocked with interesting condiments brings me a lot of joy. I've dabbled in making my own aioli and XO sauce, but chilli oils hold a special place in my heart. I've tried many versions, from Moi Soi to a small business in Kalimpong, but Nomad's Bacon Chilli Oil has come out on top. This indulgent condiment is like a hybrid of bacon relish and chilli oil—it pairs surprisingly well with pesto on a Margherita pizza and adds a fun kick to sweet corn chicken soup. Its got chunky bacon bits, Byadgi chillies (the kind used in Mangalorean ghee roast) and Sichuan peppercorns. It's become my go-to way to curb my craving for several strips of bacon—just a little taste goes a long way. Beyond the museums, flea markets, food and drinks, one of the perks of being on vacation is watching people go about their day. Imagine sitting in a park and just looking at the world around you with no interruptions of work calls/mails/texts—a child playing with his father, a dog chasing a ball, a woman running in a leopard catsuit, two girls drawing each other's portraits, a formal suit-wearer hurriedly walking past with grocery bags, two young boys laughing while looking at their phones. You see them and cook up stories in your head about who they are, though there's no actual desire to get to know them or their life stories. In those few minutes, life seems good and all figured out.
Scottish Sun
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
McVitie's ‘unbelievably amazing' 80s-inspired chocolate bars scanning at Home Bargains tills for just 49p
The bar is slathered in three types of chocolate RETRO CLASSIC McVitie's 'unbelievably amazing' 80s-inspired chocolate bars scanning at Home Bargains tills for just 49p Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A RETRO -THEMED chocolate bar has landed on the shelves at Home Bargains. Inspired by the glamorous 1980s, the sweet treat is on sale for just 49p. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Home Bargains Credit: Alamy 2 McVitie's are selling their Gold Billions bars in Home Bargains Credit: Facebook/HomeBargains The luxury bars are McVitie's Gold Billion Bars, which are the first new product in the Gold brand since it launched 35 years ago. The wafer bar is filled with cream and slathered in a rich milk chocolate and white chocolate coating. McVities also dip the bar in golden caramel chocolate for a decadent finish. Home Bargains announced the arrival of the bars on Facebook, with fans flooding the comments with messages about their love for the bar. One shopper wrote: 'Wow, that sounds like an unbelievably good deal!' Another shopper wrote: 'Buy these for hubby, he loves them.' The delicious snack sells for just 49p which has led to them flying off the shelves. Home Bargains is known for its high-quality products which are sold for very low prices. The store's gardenware is a perennial favourite for shoppers with the Hattie the Highland Cow figure being a particular favourite. The shop also sells a glamorous rattan planter for just £19.99 and a firefly solar light for £9.99. Amanda Holden, Roman Kemp & Denise van Outen step out on blue carpet to mark 100 years of McVitie's Chocolate Digestives Gadgets, including the Jardin Mechanical Water Time, are also popular, particularly on hot days like May 1. May 1, 2025, was the hottest start to the month on record making Home Bargain's range even more in-demand. Brits flocked into their gardens and local parks to enjoy the weather, while tourists got stuck on the London Eye which broke down in the 27C heat. Despite the hot weather, Ramsey in Cambridge was still decorated with the town's Christmas lights - almost four months after the end of the festive season. The sunny spell continued through the weekend but the Met Office has confirmed that the weather will soon return to the seasonal average.
