A This Morning star has been slammed after she pretended to be pregnant.

Georgina Burnett, 46, was formerly a weather presenter and news reporter, but is now best known for working on ITV’s flagship breakfast programme where she shares DIY and home improvement tips.

She is also a regular presenter at the Ideal Home Show and Grand Designs Live.

However, she’s drawn criticism today after posting what appeared to be a fake pregnancy announcement.

Earlier today she shared a black and white photo of herself by a staircase on Instagram, which showed her face obstructed while she looked down on and held her stomach.

She captioned the post ‘News!’, with many quickly rushing to question if she was expecting.

But after she started commenting on some comments with a wink face emoji, others pointed out the date and indicated she may be making an April Fool’s joke, saying her actions were ‘insensitive’ if it was a prank.

‘Not funny if this is an April Fool’s joke,’ one person commented.

‘As a grown adult you actually think this is funny? Embarrassing,’ someone else shared.

‘I’m sure you’ve meant no offence, but this is in incredibly poor taste,’ another added.

Meanwhile another follower wrote: ‘This is deeply hurtful to the huge number of women suffering with infertility. Did you know 1/4 of pregnancies end in miscarriage and 1/6 of couples have trouble falling pregnant? You would do well to consider this before making “jokes” about such sensitive topics in the future.’

As other negative comments calling her out starting coming through, Georgina deleted the post.

She’s since added a post wishing her cat Dexter a happy birthday. 

Just a few days ago she posted the following on social media: ‘I only have 2 children but ended up with 4 Mother’s Day cards so I’m feeling very blessed today. There isn’t a day that goes by (even on those days!) that I’m not immensely grateful for my kids. My heart goes out to anyone feeling sad for any reason today as I’ve been there xxx.’

It was on Valentine’s Day in 2023 she also announced she’d split from her husband Andy Flawn after more than 20 years together.

‘It’s time for me to share some personal news for a change. Something I’ve been dealing with this past year is my marriage splitting up,’ she wrote.

‘Never easy for anyone, especially the kids, but don’t worry, I’m not alone today and I’m excited about my next happier chapter and making the most of my life as a very fortunate single mum.’

Some other April Fool’s jokes today have also fallen flat, with Lorraine viewers saying a prank in which she was ‘given a tattoo’ in honour of her granddaughter Billie saw her name spelt wrong.

Pretending to storm off set after the ‘mistake’ was pointed out, Lorraine’s prank was called ‘cringeworthy’.

Metro has contacted Georgina Burnett for comment.

This Morning airs weekdays at 10am on ITV1.

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The internet is awash with fake video game pranks for April Fools’ Day though some of them are more tangible this year.

With everyone’s attention squarely on tomorrow’s Nintendo Direct for the Nintendo Switch 2, it’s easy to forget that it’s April Fool’s Day today.

Every year, the games industry likes to make fake game announcements that, frankly, aren’t all that funny. There are some exceptions (Sega made a whole Sonic The Hedgehog murder mystery visual novel one year), but the misses are more numerous than the hits.

As always, it’s important to take any gaming news you hear today, especially anything that sounds too good to be true, with a pinch of salt. Things will only get worse as the day goes on too, as America wakes up, but there have been a number of fake reveals already.

Examples of definitely fake announcements include screenshots for an 8-bit remake of NieR:Automata, made by the NieR franchise’s Japanese X account, and a PowerWash Simulator update that teases dual-wielding; both of which would actually be pretty neat.

Zenless Zone Zero’s April Fool’s prank may be the meanest since it teases an Xbox port for the game that’s scheduled to launch… on February 30, 2222. Considering Zenless Zone Zero is only on PlayStation 5, PC, and mobile, any Xbox owners might feel a bit peeved by the rug pull.

We’ll give Argonaut Games some credit for its effort. Ahead of the launch of its Croc: Legend Of The Gobbos remaster, it has claimed to have rediscovered a long lost Commodore 64 graphical text adventure game ‘which served as the inspiration for the 1997 classic 3D platformer.’

This is obviously all fake, but Argonaut has gone out of its way to release a playable version of this lost game, that you can download from its website and run through an emulator. It’s an awfully niche joke, but we respect the work put into making something more tangible.

Thankfully, Rockstar hasn’t tried anything cute with a fake GTA 6 announcement or something, probably since that’d just infuriate the already disgruntled fans who are still waiting for a second trailer.

Insider Gaming has taken a crack at trolling the fanbase though, by sharing an ‘exclusive’ report on an Xbox 360 version of GTA 6 being in development, including a statement from a Rockstar representative called Don Beleevit.

Unsurprisingly, there are a couple of dating sim announcements too, which seem to be the low hanging fruit of video game April Fool’s pranks. The first is for PUBG Battlegrounds, which turns the game’s guns into anime waifus to romance.

We initially assumed this was just a fake trailer, but it turns out it is playable through the PUBG Battlegrounds website and has three endings that unlock minor rewards for the actual game.

And then there’s Palworld, 2024’s indie survival game hit most famous for its similarities to Pokémon. Last year, developer Pocketpair did a fake announcement for a dating sim spin-off, saying it would launch on April 1, 2025.

Another trailer for it was recently shared, which seemed like Pocketpair was just repeating the same joke. Except this time, the Palworld dating sim has a listing on Steam and can even be added to customers’ wishlists, suggesting that it’ll be a real product.

The new trailer doesn’t mention a release date, only saying it’s in development, so fans shouldn’t expect a surprise drop by the end of the day.

It being April Fools’ doesn’t mean the regular news cycle has stopped though. In fact, Nintendo has today elected to confirm the runtime of the Switch 2 showcase, revealing it to be the company’s longest Nintendo Direct yet.

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For more stories like this, check our Gaming page.

MORE: The best April Fools’ Day jokes from brands — including Cadbury and Heinz

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Back in the good old days, April 1 was a time when you tried to pull a fast one over on your nearest and dearest, if you remembered the date.

But now April Fools’ Day has become a free-for-all for the biggest brands out there to play pranks on us, rendering the internet a no-go zone for 24 hours.

If you are brave enough to scroll on social media today you’ll have to weed your way through fake announcements and joke products, trying to work out what’s real and what’s not. To be honest, it’s kind of exhausting.

A number of silly hoaxes have already been shared online today, from the news that Love Island will be swapping Majorca for Canvey Island in Essex, to claims that a rooftop bar is opening on top of Big Ben.

Here are some of the best jokes from big names…

Cadbury Creme Egg On The Goo

Cadbury got in early on the jokes, with a video claiming they would be launching portable sachets of the goo inside a Creme Egg. The bizarre clip shows someone squeezing the goo all over a portion of chips, which caused a bit of a stir in the comments on Instagram.

They captioned the post writing: ‘Move over boring condiments, Creme Egg On The Goo is here.’

While some were horrified by the idea of putting it on fries, some people were keen for Cadbury to make it a reality, with @dazzmetalstorm saying: ‘That would be a good idea for an ice cream topping.’

And @clarecrazydoglady agreed it would be great ‘over chocolate cake.’

‘This needs to become real, this needs to become real, this needs to become real,’ begged @wayne.mcgarry89.

Heinz Dubai Beanz

By now we’ll have all come across the viral Dubai chocolate bar, which features pistachio and kadayif pastry.

It’s proved so popular that brands are starting to put their own spin on it, with Aldi recently unveiling a Dubai chocolate ice cream. 

But Heinz’s joke offering might put people off, as they’ve shared an image of a tin of Dubai Beanz, which boast ‘premium pistachio flavour’.

Writing on social media, they described the baked beans as ‘luxury in a tin’, and many people jumped on the joke, with @aldiuk replying: ‘You’re meant to be silly, not suggesting great ideas.’ While @honestburgers said: ‘This is a fever dream.’

BrewDog‘s Hot Beer

Brits love to crack open a cold beer as soon as the sun comes out, but a lot of the time here it’s pretty grey. To solve this problem, BrewDog’s April 1 joke has seen them unveil a limited-edition larger to help people warm up on chilly days.

The 3.4% ABV, Hot Beer, is said to use microwave-orientated smart-tech to heat and expertly prepared brew to a blisteringly hot, flavour-mulching temperature. Yum!

But the joke doesn’t end there, BrewDog claims this ‘miracle’ creation has been facilitated by the addition of ‘mega-microwaves’ in its bars across the country – high power units big enough to fit huge jugs of beer. The beer is decanted straight from the keg to jug and popped in the microwave. From there it’s just a matter of enduring some excruciating small talk at the bar until you hear that ‘ping’.

Lauren Carrol, Chief Operating Officer at BrewDog, commented: ‘Ever since we launched Cold Beer last summer it really felt like we needed something to add some balance. So we thought: what’s not cold? And then it fell into place from there.”

‘I mean, obviously it’s pretty nondescript to drink, but there’s no doubt that it’s hot. And actually we really think the joyful ‘ping’ could really catch on in bars. It’s just one of those sounds that lifts the spirits – especially if there’s a full pint of Hot Beer to follow. And a big thank you to our bar procurement teams for sorting the microwaves – frankly, I’m surprised Robert Dyas has anything left.’

Bird’s Eye Potato Waffholes 

Potato Waffles are a dinner time staple in the UK, but for years many have wondered where do the potato holes go? 

Well, Bird’s Eye has now solved the mystery, as they’ve unveiled packs of Potato Waffholes, which are described as ‘bite-sized bliss’. 

Alex Townsend, Potato Waffles Brand Manager at Birds Eye, commented: ‘We’ve heard the questions, we’ve seen the conspiracy theories, and we knew it was time to reveal the truth. Those little holes don’t just vanish, they’ve been secretly waiting for their moment to be the centre of attention, and it’s now time to fill the gap in the market – literally. After years of keeping this under wraps, we’re thrilled to finally celebrate the launch of the new Birds Eye Potato Waffholes’

Terry’s Chocolate Mint Toothpaste

While some think mint is a flavour best reserved for toothpaste, it seems Terry’s agrees, if their April 1 post is anything to go by.

The brand shared a snap of a tube of toothpaste that’s chocolate mint flavour, saying: ‘Start and end your day the right way with Terry’s NEW chocolate mint toothpaste.

‘It will satisfy your cravings whilst leaving you with that minty fresh feeling – mundane teeth brushing is now a delight!’

Hundreds of people have commented on the post, and many want the product to become a reality, claiming it would be ‘so good’, ‘dangerous’ and they’d ‘actually use it’.

Asda’s Rear Pocket Dress Code

Earlier this year, Asda brought back its iconic Rollback campaign, as well as the pocket tap ‘Asda Price’. And for April Fools’ Day, the supermarket is using this as part of the joke.

The retailer has announced the introduction of a Rear Pocket Dress Code, telling shoppers they have to have a visible rear pocket to be able to enter their local Asda store.

But don’t worry about being turned away, as those who don’t have pockets on their outfit will be given a free stick-on pocket at the door, which can be applied anywhere as long as it’s visible to staff.

Waitrose Easter Egg Restriction

Waitrose has tailored its April Fool’s joke to the parents, claiming to have added an age restriction to  all of the own-brand Easter Eggs, so they can only be purchased by those over 18. 

They shared a snap of Easter Eggs on the shelf, with a sign saying: ‘NO ID, NO EASTER EGG.’ And according to the prank, at the till customers will be met with a prompt and asked for ID if they don’t look over 18.

Maddy Wilson, Own Brand Director at Waitrose, said: ‘This year’s Easter range was developed with grown-ups in mind and as we get closer to the big day and stock becomes limited, we have decided it would only be right to give priority to the adults. With Speckled Eggs hand made by a third generation chocolatier, a Chocolate Croissant which blends creamy chocolate with feuilletine wafer and caramel pieces and Italian Nougat made to a family recipe passed down three generations, it is much too good for children anyway!’

Aldi Scotland launches canned tap water

Aldi Scotland is poking fun at the demand for low alcohol products of late, after unveiling its newest drink launch – 100% canned Scottish tap water.

Known as Taps Aff, the product will provide wellness-obsessed Scots with a thirst-quenching alternative packed with Scottish minerals. 

Graham Nicolson, Group Buying Director, Aldi Scotland, said: ‘We know Scotland has the purest tap water in the world, and with buying trends indicating a move towards low-alcohol drinks, this felt like a great opportunity to go with the flow and turn on the tap for a new Scottish innovation. 

‘When talking of something truly extraordinary you often hear people say – ‘if you could only bottle it’ – well we have! Taps Aff is exactly what is says on the tin: pure, refreshing Scottish tap water.

‘Taps Aff launches on April 1, and we are confident that every drop will leave customers fully hydrated.’

easyJet’s snail ice cream

Budget airline easyJet is celebrating the opening of its new base at London Southend Airport in Essex, with a new range of ice cream flavours inspired by some of their holiday destinations.

Flavours include snail (inspired by escargot from France), Spicy Tagine (Moroccan spices), Cacio e Pepe (Italy), Sangria and Chocolate (Spain) and Pastel de Nata (Portugal).

Garry Wilson, easyJet holidays CEO commented: ‘Southend is synonymous with ice-cream, and what better way to celebrate our newest base than with something that for many also represents the joy of holidays, by offering customers a literal taste of their next trip!

‘With flights and thousands of package holidays now available to 20 destinations from London Southend, this will not only enable us to serve many more customers, providing value and more choice, but also supports critical connectivity and jobs for the UK, as we get set for our biggest ever summer.’

Interrail adds Greenland to the Interrail Pass Network

Interrail shared a social post claiming that Greenland is joining the Interrail Pass network.

They wrote: ‘We welcome Greenland to our network, strengthening the bonds of our European community. Greenland joins 33 other countries across Europe that travellers can explore with an Interrail Pass.’

People on Twitter were quick to point out the obvious flaw with this announcement, saying: ‘Greenland doesn’t have any trains.’

However, this one looks the most believable of the lot so far, so some people have fallen for it. Sneaky Interrail…

Krispy Kreme axing Original Glazed Doughnuts

Krispy Kreme fans may have had a meltdown if they fell for the doughnut chain’s April Fools’ Day post.

That’s because they claimed they were axing the OG doughnut flavour – the glazed ring.

In a statement posted online from the company’s managing director, they said: ’87 years on, we never thought we’d be writing this… To make room for the return of our fan-favourite Glazed Raspberry, we will be officially discontinuing our Original Glazed doughnut.

‘It hasn’t been an easy decision, our team have explored every option to keep it on shelves. But with so many delicious doughnuts in the range, we simply can’t keep them all.

‘In the coming weeks, Original Glazed will no longer be available in shops, cabinets, or Hot Light Shops. We’re sorry for any disappointment this may cause.’

Walkers Salt & Vinegar Crisp packets

Last week Walkers caused a stir after sharing a cryptic post on social media, suggesting they’d be switching the colour of Salt & Vinegar crisp packets.

The packets have always been green, while the brand’s Cheese & Onion crisps are blue. However, most other crisp companies have these colours the opposite way around.

Walkers shared a snap showing Salt & Vinegar crisps in a blue packet, and Cheese & Onion in green. And simply wrote: ‘That’s better.’

The image was shared on a billboard in London, and a few meme accounts on Instagram shared what looked to be packets of crisps with the ‘right’ colours, making people believe they’d be sold soon.

But Walkers has since confirmed it was just an April Fools’ Day prank.

‘Never did, never will,’ they wrote on Instagram.

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The cult following of Aldi’s middle aisle is unparalleled. From candles to kids bikes and cute cookware to skincare – it’s the gift that keeps on giving.

So, it came as a big shock when the bargain retailer announced the death of the middle aisle to its nearly 500,000 followers on Instagram yesterday.

Mass panic ensued, but the announcement isn’t all it seems. In fact, Aldi’s post is an early April fools stunt and the beloved special buys range isn’t going anywhere. *Breathes a sigh of relief*.

Shared less than 24 hours ago, the post shows an image headed: ‘RIP MIDDLE AISLE.’ This is accompanied by a picture of the iconic middle aisle in one of its stores, with a white angel wing either side.

Below was a concerning caption: ‘An important message from Aldi admin.’

Many quickly assumed that the middle aisle had been axed and were distraught, claiming they ‘live’ for the special buys and felt ‘sick’ at the thought of losing them.

But, if you read the full post, all becomes clear. It says: ‘RIP MIDDLE AISLE. And by that, we meant Really Impressive Prices. You might have heart that our iconic middle aisle is heading to the shop in the sky.

‘Actually, you probably haven’t. Because it isn’t. We’ve made something up for attention again (come on, at least look a little bit surprised). We’d never do you guys like that.

‘After all, what’s life without being able to grab an inflatable kayak when you’ve only popped in for milk? Rubbish, that’s what. Long live the middle aisle and all her beautiful treaty bits.

‘Had you in the first half though didn’t we? Yours (in)sincerely, Aldi admin.’

The post has had more than 20,000 likes in less than 24 hours, with traumatised but relieved shoppers rushing to the comments.

‘My heart skipped a beat then! Where else would i get a facial steamer and a bag of prawns from?’ wrote @sophie_gluten_free.

@sazbegley added: ‘Don’t do that again (unless you are planning to put heart monitoring machines in the middle aisle).’

Another said: ‘I just nearly s**t myself.’

The post was also described as an ’emotional roller coaster’, and it was intended to be.

In fact, Aldi’s post is the most recent in the latest trend where big companies are pretending to axe beloved fan favourites.

Lipton Ice Tea left Brits in tears and demanding compensation after it took to socials earlier this week to announce it had discontinued its beloved Peach Lipton Ice Tea flavour.

It used the angel wings either side of the adored beverage, and wrote: You may have heard that our iconic Peach Lipton Ice Tea flavour is getting discontinued. We know – it hurts (sorry if we’ve ruined your go-to afternoon chill bev). 

‘But don’t worry, the rest of your faves are still here to keep you refreshed. And who knows? Maybe one day, Peach will make a legendary comeback. 

‘We appreciate your understanding during this period of adjustment and apologise for any inconvenience caused. #RIPeach.’

The announcement went viral but ‘distraught’ fans were relieved to find out it was an early April Fools stunt, and that the drink isn’t going anywhere.

It’s not just Aldi that has emulated the stunt either. Lynx recreated it almost word-for-word, claiming that Lynx Africa had been axed.

Shoppers claimed their Christmas presents had been ‘ruined’ but others caught on pretty quickly writing: ‘Liptons already made this prank.’

Anyway, you can rest easy that you can still peruse Aldi’s middle aisle as you please, leaving with a fire extinguisher and the ingredients for that family favourite shepherds pie.

Special buys aren’t going anywhere.

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Dermot O’Leary couldn’t resist getting involved with April Fools’ Day, and tricking his shocked co-host Alison Hammond.

He participated in the annual event, where people carry practical jokes, pranks and hoaxes to trick others, before revealing the truth.

During This Morning, Dermot, 50, knocked over a supposedly valuable item. Alison, and viewers of the ITV daytime show, were led to believe a vase was worth £30,000.

As the ‘antique’ smashed into pieces all over the studio floor, Alison, 49, was visibly shocked.

Ever the professional, Alison headed straight over to the pretend owner of the item and placed an arm on her shoulder in comfort.

‘Are you actually joking me?’ she asked. ‘So sorry.’

Dermot then showed if they need a new actor in a future ITV drama, he’s the man for the job.

He promised the unconsolable guest: ‘I’ll pay for it. I promise I’ll pay for it,’ before bowing his head in shame. Dermot clasped his hands in front of his face, which was done to add to the dramatics or conceal any smiles.

‘I don’t even know what to say. I’m actually going to get upset. I’m so so sorry. Babes I’m so sorry,’ Alison said with her hand placed on her heart.

Finally putting Alison out of her misery, Dermot told her: ‘I’ve only got one thing to say, which is April Fools!’

A smile spread across a relieved Alison’s face as Dermot jumped for joy at the successful joke.

Although Alison told him it wasn’t funny, she’d clearly been amused by the whole prank.

‘I was going to start crying. I didn’t even know what to say,’ she reflected. ‘I actually felt sick.’

The vase owner then revealed she was an actor named Vanessa, and took a bow.

Viewers reacted to the scene on X, and were divided over its inclusion on the show.

‘My heart! I nearly had a heart attack. The reason I thought it might be real was because I wouldn’t be surprised if Dermot @radioleary actually did knock it! Phew. Well done! Best April fools ever!’ wrote Fiona Wood.

ManaboutLDN disagreed and wrote: ‘The worst amateur dramatic acting I’ve seen you’re 3rd on the trot for #AprilFools we know the drill!!!’

After the segment, Dermot promised that the remainder of the episode would be real but viewers are convinced Josie Gibson going to meet worm-charmers was another joke. She met a group of animal enthusiasts who tried to entice the creature out of the ground through unusual methods such as riding a toy horse and chanting.

Sohail was amongst those waiting for the big reveal that never came: ‘I legit thought that worm charming item was an April Fools!’

This Morning aren’t the only ones who’ve conducted a prank for the occasion.

Ant and Dec announced a brand new culinary venture this morning – but nobody was convinced.

This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV.

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Ant and Dec make a big announcement this morning – but everyone immediately saw through their attempt at an April Fools’ Day joke.

The duo are known for their epic pranks on Saturday Night Takeaway, often leaving viewers in hysterics over their antics with each other and other famous faces.

Who can forget the many times the many times they’ve ridiculed A-listers, including recently taking aim at media mogul and former X Factor judge Simon Cowell?

On Monday, the duo tried to put the wool over everyone’s eyes by unveiling plans to ‘take a hiatus from their television commitments’ to kickstart their culinary careers’.

However, no one was convinced.

The fake announcement, which was shared on the duo’s joint social media pages, read: ‘The Geordie duo have been making waves in the food world since launching their smash hit digital series, Taste Mates, last year and have decided to explore this new opportunity fulltime.’

They teased fans with the prospect of a tie-in ‘tell-all recipe book’ and ‘pop-up restaurant’.

They wrote on X: ‘We’ve been stewing on this for a while but wanted you to hear it from us first…’

Ant McPartlin commented in the original prank announcement: ‘I believe that food has the power to bring people together and create cherished memories, that’s how my family feel when I make them beans on toast.’

He added: ‘I am excited to embark on this culinary journey with my sous chef, Dec.’

Dec Donnelly added: ‘The kitchen is my favourite place. I adore spending time cooking, I get to snack on the ingredients (mostly cheese) as I go.

‘Opening a restaurant has been a dream of ours for quite some time, and I am incredibly excited to finally see it come to fruition. I know that Ant will be a brilliant pot washer.’

Unfortunately for the duo, and any fans actually clamouring for this venture to be a real life career move, plenty of their followers saw right through the April Fools’ Day post.

‘Guys you can’t tweet anything on April 1st, we’ll just ignore it😂,’ laughed @ifyouleaveniall, while fellow X user @HelenAPat replied: ‘Beans on Toast, and Cheese. Excellent meals. By the way … Happy April Fool’s Day 😆’

‘Enjoy April Fools day lads,’ tweeted fan @RussRobinson170, and there were many more fans seeing through the joke but wishing it was true, as @doctorinsulin begged: ‘I know it’s a joke but please make it real.’

‘@antanddec very Funny April Fools boys. I would be a different kind of cool to see new competition in the cooking world going up against @GordonRamsay,’ added @KirstyNoble98.

And @HilsdesM wrote: ‘If only this wasn’t an April Fool, I’d love to come to your Pop-up! Lol imagine how much security you’d need- thousands would descend on you! Love to you both XX (sic).’

Others were more cruel, with @jimmy_L_UFC tweeting: ‘Why do people continue to do April fools . Also this isn’t even funny which considering these two is pretty poor.’

And @prickettboy3 added: ‘Grow up guys. April Fools is for kids.’

Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway returns on Saturday at 7pm on ITV1 and ITVX.

Got a story?

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Ah, April Fool’s Day; 24 hours when we’re all on edge waiting for the next big prank.

There was a time when it was all about fooling your nearest and dearest, from switching their food to give them a shock when they take a bite to surreptitiously sticking embarrassing notes to their back.

Nowadays, though, it’s a day that largely belongs to brands.

Businesses from all sorts of industries pull out their best hoaxes, to the point it’s hard to know what to believe come April 1.

Fear not, as we’ve compiled the best, weirdest, and silliest tricks you’ll come across this April Fool’s Day.

Keep your wits about you and your gullibility in check, and hopefully you’ll make it through the day without being the butt of the joke.

easyJet Holidays rebrands as easyJet Holibobs

easyJet Holidays has today announced a radical rebrand to easyJet Holibobs, following extensive market research which revealed that ‘Holibobs’ has been searched almost 35 million times on TikTok. 

The company’s chief holibob officer, said: ‘Holibobs are for everyone to enjoy and easyJet Holibobs is here to help everyone achieve the holibob of their dreams.

‘Whether you’re looking for a Summer holibob with your huns, a Chrimbo holibob with the hubby and famalam or a spring holibob with BAE – we have just the holibob to make your friends jelly. Amazeballs!’ 

Toolstation launches trade-inspired fragrance line

DIY retailer Toolstation’s April Fool’s stunt sees the ‘launch’ of three new trade-inspired fragrances: Sawdust Seduction, Plumbers Paradise and Welding Whisper.

The product description reads: ‘Bask in elegant tones of fragrances that transcend time itself. Awaken your soul with notes of sawdust, unveil a captivating journey through the rich scents of plumbing, and ignite the flames of desire with whispers of welding.’

Alternatively, have a spritz when you need to pretend you’ve been grafting (when really your toolbox is catching dust).

Lakeland creates the world’s first diamond air fryer

To celebrate its 60th – diamond – anniversary (diamond year!), Lakeland hasencrusted an air fryer with 52,000 diamonds in a global first.

Artists Samantha Sutcliffe and Jayne Bill from Diamond Art Studio UK collaborated with the homeware store on the project, making just one of the blingy appliances over 35 hours.

It was transferred to the Kingston Lakeland store with maximum security before being unveiled to staff before doors opened, and will apparently be protected by a 24-7 security guard.

Currys serves up curries

Tech retailer Currys has launched a new April Fool’s initiative whereby customers can exchange their old tech for its namesake: curries.

For a limited time only, shoppers can tantalise their tastebuds with a Mixer Masala, Air Fried-Aloo, Crock Pot-ato Vindaloo and the signature Currys Curry at selected stores nationwide from 12pm to 2pm daily. 

Dan Rubel, brand and marketing Director at Currys explained: ‘Many customers come to us looking confused and asking for a curry, but Lamb Rogan Josh lovers and Chicken Faal fans often leave empty handed.

‘We decided enough is enough of feeling like the fool so we are trialling our Curries for Tech scheme, allowing shoppers to help save e-waste from landfill while also getting their curry kick for free.’

Dole releases Ham and Pineapple-in-a-Can

In an effort to target Hawaiian pizza lovers, Dole Sunshine Company has gone all out with the flavour combination that divides the nation, creating the world’s first Ham and Pineapple-in-a-Can.

The company’s head of innovation, April Asinus, commented: ‘We know that there’s a growing tribe of Hawaiian Pizza lovers out there and we’re convinced this new can will become a cult kitchen must-have in no time.

‘Cooking with it couldn’t be easier either, just open the can and away you go – a pizza topping in seconds!’

Krispy Kreme invites customers to glaze anything

For the first time ever, Krispy Kreme  is opening its glazed waterfalls to more than just doughnuts and inviting customers to glaze anything for the next 24 hours. 

Usually reserved for the cult-favourite Original Glazed doughnut, Krispy Kreme ’s glaze can be poured over chicken legs, burgers, pizza slices, bowls of cereal… whatever your heart desires.

But if the unorthodox palette pairing doesn’t appeal on April 1, then you can bag a dozen Original Glazed doughnuts for £2 with the purchase of any regular priced dozen instead.

FUNKIN opens doors to UK’s only blue raspberry farm

FUNKIN Fruit Farm, the only to grow the rare blue raspberry, will welcome fruit pickers for the first time on April 1 for the morning on their two-hectare farm in the English countryside.

It’s the only one in the world belonging to the GLUM (Growth Labour Under Melancholia) vegetation family, meaning they have a different growth cycle to traditional raspberries, and are instead known to thrive in colder, darker environments. Whilst their unique blue hue can come and go in a seasonal pattern, it’s typically more apparent during the gloomier winter months.

Farmers have been known to adopt alternative methods to ensure that each blue raspberry, which is grown as the key ingredient in FUNKIN Cocktails’ Blue Raspberry Martini, receives the individual love and care it requires to reach the optimum level of winter blues, from Sally Rooney readings to serenading their seeds with sad girl pop music playlists including Olivia Rodrigo and Lana Del Rey.

LEON announces new Aioli toothpaste

Most people brush their teeth to ensure their breath doesn’t smell of garlic, but LEON Grocery wants to flip the switch with its April Fool’s Day product.

Described as ‘tangy, creamy, and with extra bite’, Aioli Brite toothpaste is leaves you with the taste of garlic all day long – and doubles up as a morning snack.

Senior Dental Officer at LEON, Mary Bowkett commented on the launch: ‘Mint has been monopolising toothpaste for far too long – it’s time for a taste of garlicky goodness!’

HANX launches prosecco-flavoured lube

Sexual Wellness brand HANX has teamed up with winemaker Liquid Diamond Wine to create a prosecco-flavoured lube just in time for April Fool’s Day.

Tasting notes suggest a hint of peach, apple and pear, and pairs perfectly to use alone or with partners. It’s also vegan friends, non-sticky, and tried and tested by the ‘hun’ community.

Farah Kabir, HANX co-founder, commented: ‘For too long, huns have been overlooked in the sexual wellness market. We’re beyond excited to partner with Liquid Diamond Wine to meet the desires of the hun community, launch a totally unique product and bring a little more fizz to the bedroom.’

In case you can’t get hold of the totally-not-a-joke product, HANX and Liquid Diamond Wine are offering 25% off their websites all April 1 with code ‘ProseccoLube’.

Tapi reveals PIY Salad Floor

Tapi Carpets & Floors are selling a world-first in plant-based flooring for one day only: Plant It Yourself (PIY) Salad Floor made from cress.

Simply lay the carpet called Cressida in a fitting green hue, spray it with water, then sprinkle cress seeds on top. As long as you keep the carpet moist and don’t tread on it, shoots will start to sprout within days. It’s the ultimate in green flooring!

The company’s trends expert, Jo King, commented: ‘PIY Salad Floor is the first of its kind, and we’re super excited to watch our customers’ journey from purchase to flourish! This follows glass hammers, polka dot paint and chocolate teapots as the latest in interiors innovation.’

PizzaExpress transforms train carriages into moving pizzeria

PizzaExpress is joining forces with Heathrow Express to transform its train carriages into the world’s first moving pizzeria, for holidaymakers heading to the airport on April 1.

Passengers will be welcomed on board with a selection of favourites like American Hot and Padana, alongside a new Pesce D’Aprile pizza and Pizzaiolos flaring dough in the aisle.

What’s more, each carriage table will display a ‘push for more Dough Balls’ button for that added Express service.

Contiki floats submarine world tour

Contiki’s first-ever underwater trip lets travel the seven seas in one week via submarine – and although it’s a prank, it actually sounds amazing.

Travellers will board a state-of-the-art Sub-Sea coach – capable of reaching speeds of up to 15 million kilometres per hour and crossing the entire Indian Ocean in just half a day – in London, before transitioning from land to sea in Dover.

Activities on the itinerary include an underwater cooking class, a visit to the Gulf of Mexico’s ‘Museum of Sunken Treasures’, the chance to spot the underwater Big 5, a trip to Atlantis National Park (one of the last places on Earth where you can witness the three-headed slime green conger eel in its natural habitat) and more.

Guests also spend their nights in Contiki’s luxury Underwater Château and DeepDive – the ‘world’s coolest underwater hostel’, boasting a seabed sauna and racquetball court.

Buzz Bingo unveils giant bingo ball pit

The world’s first giant bingo ball pit from Buzz Bingo will offer players an immersive sensory experience, allowing them to sink their hands into a sea of colourful bingo balls and feel the game coming alive.

Ben Gohall, chief funancial officer at Buzz Bingo commented: ‘Everyone deserves a bit of fun and what better way to rediscover your inner playfulness than with a giant ball pit?! Couple that with bingo, a beloved UK pastime, and you’ve got yourself an unbeatable night out!’

Dulux announces new Scratch & Sniff paint range

This April Fool’s Day, Dulux is sweetening up the paint game by introducing a Scratch & Sniff paint collection inspired by food and drink favourites.

With shades such as Chocolate Sprinkles, Hazelnut Truffle, Cookie Dough, and Caramel Cream, it only takes two hours for the paint to dry and the scent to appear.

Marianne Shillingford, Creative Director at Dulux, explains: ‘Our goal is to push the boundaries and create products that not only beautify homes but also enhance the overall sensory experience. With our “Scratch & Sniff” collection, we’re bringing a whole new level of indulgence to interior design.’

Evri rolls out roller-skating couriers

Delivery firm Evri’s stunt has been touted as its latest zero-emission initiative – roller-skating couriers.

In an effort to ensure staff remain safe, training and protective equipment will be provided, alongside alternatives such as skis in case of snow and other bad weather.

An Evri spokesperson said: ‘We’re always looking to trial new innovative ways to help us meet our goal of being net zero by 2035 and this further strengthens our commitment. We think there are multiple benefits to this trial on top of the environmental ones; we hope it will increase delivery efficiency and help our couriers be fitter and healthier.’

Aldi launches reality TV Show: Love Aisleland

Those that can’t wait until the next season of Love Island, can now have their reality TV fix from an unexpected location – Aldi.

In a supermarket first, Aldi has announced today it is taking applications for its newest venture – Love Aisleland.

Announced on Aldi’s social pages this morning, the post reads: ‘Want to find love on the aisles this summer? Checkout the market? And secure your Specialguy? Join us for the first ever #LoveAisleland.’

Is there anything you can’t get in that hallowed middle aisle?

Babybel releases super spicy Inferno cheese

Babybel Inferno is an intense twist infused with the world’s hottest ghost peppers. It’s apparently so hot that lab technicians had to suit up in protective gear while formulating it.

The cheese manufacturer issued a warning as part of the launch, saying: ‘Approach with caution. Consumption may induce intense sweating and tongue tingling and uncontrollable cravings for more…if you wish. Keep gloves and milk on standby – trust us, you’ll thank us later.’

Moonpig branches into dating

Still looking for love after completing all the other dating apps? A new feature from Moonpig, MoonMatch, aims to change that.

The dating service allows customers to get to know their new love interest only through writing love letters: once they find a match, they can send up to five free love letters to one another, making use of the card retailer’s handwriting tool to show they care.

A MoonMatch spokesperson commented: ‘At Moonpig we’re all about creating better and more meaningful connections, which is why we thought we’d take it one step further by helping the nation find love!’

Honest Burger launches Quattro Pickle-O Burger

Pickles may be a ‘love it or hate it’ ingredient, but this one’s strictly for the lovers.

Honest Burger’s Quattro Pickle-O Burger combines classic pickles, deep-fried frickles, pickle mayo, and Heinz Pickle flavour Tomato Ketchup for a symphony of deliciousness.

‘It’s a pickling masterpiece,’ said head of food Adam Layton. ‘Here for a good time, not for a long time.’

Purplebricks launches AI-powered ‘BS detector’ app

This game-changing new app from property site Purplebricks uses lie-detector technology to call out rogue estate agents, after a study from the brand revealed three quarters of Brits were put off a sale by estate agent.

The ‘BS detector’ will ‘bleep’ every time an estate agent does or says something questionable, with AI software identifying vocal tones and phrases to alert users to suspect claims – acting like a lie detector in the palm of the hand. 

This is one prank we’d like to see become a reality.

Mouse and Grape combines wine and cheese in a can

Wine and cheese go great together; a theory Mouse and Grape has pushed to its limit this April Fool’s.

In collaboration with Canned Wine Co and dairies Quicke’s, Nettlebed Creamery and White Lake, the company has combined three premium wines with three British cheeses, for a fusion of flavours without the need for a sommelier.

The products in the collection include Sparkling Chardonnay and Nettlebed Creamery Bix (an indulgent triple-cream cheese) Grenache Rosé and White Lake Cheese Driftwood (a creamy and soft cheese) and Old Vine Garnacha and Quicke’s Cheddar Cheese (a rich and buttery extra mature clothbound cheese).

Odd but slightly enticing!

Who Gives a Crap launches mission to send toilet paper to Uranus

The stunt from toilet paper manufacturer Who Gives a Crap bears the tagline ‘One small step for man, one giant wipe for mankind’.

It’ll see a roll of the stuff being sent further than any TP has travelled before, on a nine-year trip to uranus. Not only does the planet have a fitting name for the brand, it’s also the solar system’s smelliest and gassiest, making it perfect for the April Fool’s Day mission.

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Ahh, April Fools’ Day. A much-needed time for jokes, pranks and general silliness.

But if you’re busy this bank holiday, you might have no time to fool your family, friends or loved ones.

Many are delaying their gags until the evening for this reason, and some are even getting ahead of the curve and setting up their jokes before April 1.

April Fools’ Day always gives us a good laugh – but when should the jokes come to an end?

When should you stop telling April Fools’ jokes?

Sorry, but traditionally, you can only tell April Fools’ jokes until midday (12pm) on April 1.

After that time, you’re supposed to hold your hands up and come clean about your various pranks.

And April Fools’ Day rules confirm this.

Dating back to at least the 1700s, the rules state you can’t delay your jokes until the afternoon.

Anyone telling pranks afternoon is considered to be the fool themselves – as they either don’t know the proper rules, or have failed to properly acknowledge them.

Interestingly, nobody actually knows why there is a joke deadline for April Fools’ Day.

Where does April Fools Day originate from?

It is unclear where April Fools Day originates from – but there are many theories surrounding this.

One popular theory is that it began in 1582, when France switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar, causing New Year’s Day to move from April 1 to January 1.

Many people still rang in the New Year on April 1, as they weren’t aware of the calendar change, and these people were laughed at and had tricks played on them, as they were ‘fools’.

Other people believe that the day marks Mother Nature playing tricks on us, as the weather at this time of year is often very unpredictable.

Is April Fools Day celebrated in other countries?

The UK isn’t the only country to play tricks on people on April 1, with lots of other countries sharing this tradition.

In Ireland, a long standing April Fools tradition was to give an important letter to a chosen ‘fool’ and ask them to give it to a certain person.

That person would then read the letter, and ask the fool to pass it on to someone else and so on.

When opened, the letter would read ‘send the fool further’.

In Italy, France and other French speaking areas, the day is called April Fish and a common prank is to attach a paper fish to someone’s back without them noticing.

In Poland, April Fools Day is taken very seriously and news outlets often cooperate with each other and write the same false stories to make them even more believable.

MORE: The best April Fools’ Day pranks you can do over text, Facebook or WhatsApp

MORE: Is April Fools’ Day international? How it’s celebrated around the world

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April Fools’ Day is almost upon us, and there’s no better way to start the week by annoying your loved ones with a prank – ’tis the season, after all.

But if you’ve got big Bank Holiday Monday plans, you may not be with your most gullible pal in person, but fear not, there are plenty of April Fools’ gotcha opportunities to take via text or on social media.

Want to prank someone, but aren’t sure what to do? Here’s a bit of inspiration to get the ideas whirring.

But keep in mind: pranks should be funny, not cruel – and everyone should be laughing along by the end.

Let’s take a look at your options…

The best April Fools’ Day jokes for texts and over social media

Fake a celebrity meeting

Put your photoshop skills to the test and fool your friends into thinking you’ve had a chance meeting with your favourite celebrity.

Try not to pick someone too famous to make it more believable – you’re unlikely to have bumped into Kim Kardashian in Morrisons.

Elaborate the story by fabricating a strange remark the celebrity said to you, or a weird quirk they have, so your friends never look at them the same way again.

Pretend you have no idea who is texting you

Every time a friend texts you throughout the day, reply with ‘sorry who is this?’.

Play dumb and pretend you have no idea who they are until you’ve driven them mad.

Fake the adoption of an unusual pet

Post a picture of an undomesticated animal (for example a pigeon or a squirrel) and announce that it is the newest member of the family.

Give the animal a ridiculous name and wait for the confused replies from your friends to come rolling in.

Send a suspicious text to someone, then tell them to ignore it

Text someone entirely in song lyrics

Send a panicked DM over an accidental post

Bustle recommends this one. Simply text, WhatsApp or DM your friend saying something like ‘OMG, did you mean to post that on your Instagram? I really don’t think you did.’

And watch them freak out out in the replies.

Congratulate a friend for a made up milestone

Post a status on your Facebook account, congratulating your bestie on their/engagement/new job.

Make sure to tag their account in the post and watch them be flooded with congratulatory messages.

You could even get a few friends involved in the prank and have them all write individual posts to make it more believable.

But tread carefully this one, and basically, don’t be mean – for example, don’t congratulate your recently dumped friend on her engagement. That would not be cool.

Buy some fake piercings and send photos to your family

Become a facts bot

Change your logo

@emilyzugay#ad You should not laugh out loud or be surprised at how good my logo is @lolsurprise #ad♬ original sound – Emily’sTikTok.edu

Got a small business? An online brand? Or maybe you feel like announcing a fake project?

Take a leaf out of TikTokker Emily Zugay’s book and go for a, erm, interesting logo choice.

The ‘OMG have you seen this?’ text

Arguably, ‘rickrolling’ is the laziest April Fools’ Day joke ever.

Simply tell your pal you’ve spotted a click-worthy video or news story, and send the link, hoping they’ll click on it and be annoyed at themselves – and you. Or try it on your Facebook page.

If you don’t want to link to YouTube (where the Never Gonna Give You Up video has been watched over 1.1 billion times), you can use this bit.ly link for your trick here: https://bit.ly/3qMaF4M

Plus, if you are working – here’s a few classics for those stuck in the office…

Stealthily change their framed photos

It’s easy to get away with, amusing – and perhaps one to try and at home in the morning, too.

Make a colleague’s computer shut down whenever they click an icon

After pulling this prank, your colleague will have their computer shut down whenever they try to click a commonly used program.

To do it, go to their most-used desktop icon, right-click on it, and select ‘edit properties’.

Then go to ‘shortcut’ and change the target to ‘%windir%system32shutdown.exe -r -t 00’.

Get a bluetooth mouse

Install a bluetooth mouse on a colleague’s computer – then leave the mouse itself in a drawer next to you.

Whenever they’re at their desk, open the drawer – the mouse will move around, making your colleague’s cursor look like it’s flying around the screen for no reason.

Repeat until the rage becomes too much.

Install a hidden speaker

Install a bluetooth speaker under your colleague’s chair and connect it to your phone.

Load up some sound effects – air horns, sirens, whatever you fancy – and make sure you hit ‘play’ whenever they sit down…

Record an annoying noise on a dictaphone

Make a long recording of something infuriating on a dictaphone – whistling, clicking, beeping or whirring, for example.

Then hide the dictaphone somewhere, press ‘play’, and watch the chaos unfold.

‘Crack’ your colleague’s computer screen

Don’t actually do this – just download an image of a cracked screen, and set it as a screensaver.

Make sure it becomes active after 30 seconds or so of inactivity, so that when they come back after a break, they believe their computer is busted.

MORE: Is April Fools’ Day international? How it’s celebrated around the world

MORE: When does April Fools’ Day end? Rules, etiquette and history on jokes or pranks after noon

MORE: ‘We broke up over it’: 10 April Fools’ jokes that ended in disaster

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Royal Mail has apologised after a ‘tone deaf’ April Fools’ prank after a manager announced a fake double-digit pay rise for staff.

Last Saturday, a poster appeared to be put up at the Royal Mail Gloucester North delivery office declaring an 11% pay rise amid the cost-of-living crisis.

Posties who are members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) have staged a raft of strikes over pay and working conditions.

But the poster got striking workers’ hopes up as it claimed Royal Mail and the union had reached a breakthrough.

‘We are pleased to announce that agreement has been reached,’ the poster read.

The joke sign said an 11% pay rise ‘backdated to April 2022’ would take into effect from Friday.

Some 10,000 ‘telegram boys’ would also be hired and a ‘brand new fleet of diesel vans and bicycles to replace electric vans’, the poster joked.

In reality, Royal Mail is set to axe more than 10,000 jobs by August while also not replacing staff who leave.

For months, the CWU has accused Royal Mail of plans which include cuts to workers’ terms and conditions, introducing compulsory Sunday shifts, cutting sick pay, three-hour delivery delays and inferior terms for new employees.

‘Please feel free to share on social media and tell all your CWU colleagues,’ the poster added.

The poster was pinned up only days after the CWU said it was preparing to announce even more industrial action as pay talks continue to stall.

Royal Mail postal carriers on social media tore into the poster, branding the manager a ‘horrible human being’ and ‘unprofessional’.

One said: ‘No managers should be making jokes at our expense with what they have been part of, April Fools’ Day or not.’

Another added: ‘Jesus Christ. I mean that’s mildly funny but read the room man.’

‘I ain’t laughing,’ a third postie said. ‘They should be conducted. Horrible human being.’

On Twitter, a user wrote: ‘Royal Mail pulling April fools prank on us postman, this is all a big joke to them isn’t it, we are just getting the piss taken out of us.’

CWU was also less than impressed by the poster. ‘For many Royal Mail employees, the workplace is now a completely toxic environment where nasty, tone-deaf “jokes” such as these are considered culturally acceptable,’ a spokesperson said.

Royal Mail and the manager behind the poster have both since apologised for the stunt.

A Royal Mail spokesperson said: ‘We apologise for any upset caused by this misjudged April Fools’ joke at one of our delivery offices

‘The poster was removed and the local manager has apologised.’

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Celebrity chef Manu Feildel may be best known for his prowess in the kitchen, but he’s done his best to trick people by suggesting he’s launching a new perfume.

The French-Australian chef, who has hosted the reality cooking series My Kitchen Rules since 2010, is known for distracting contestants enamoured by his accent, so it might make sense fans would want to snap up a fragrance designed and used by the TV personality.

On Saturday, Manu, 49, shared a black and white photograph on social media, which showed him staring down the camera while wearing a suit.

Alongside him was a bottle that simply read ‘Saucy By Manu’, indicating he might have a career change as a beauty mogul in mind.

But quick to pick up on the fact it was April Fool’s Day, many people mentioned they knew what he was playing at.

Others attempted their own jokes too, with one person suggesting a bigger bottle would need to be produced, and another imagining that the fragrance ‘would smell like a combination of creme brulee and Old Spice’.

Another simply commented: ‘That would sell.’

While it’s unlikely we will see Saucy hitting shelves anytime soon, Manu’s super fans are able to try his actual range of sauces, which range from Mushroom and Peppercorn, to a Diane Sauce and French Stew.

Manu’s April Fools joke went down a lot better than other celebrities attempts in recent years.

Last year Kerry Katona received a mixed reaction when she pranked her fans with a fake pregnancy announcement, which some labelled as insensitive.

The year before Ant and Dec had said they were going to rebrand and switch things up to call themselves Dec and Ant because it was ‘only fair on the little guy’.

However before getting the chance to fully understand the joke, some fans freaked out thinking the pair were splitting up after they began their post with the line: ‘Some big news for you guys… after 30 long years together we’ve decided a change is needed.’

In 2021 Piers Morgan also joked that he’d been offered his old job on Good Morning Britain back, but eventually had to fess up to his prank.

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MORE: Where does April Fools’ Day originate from? Theories explained

MORE: When does April Fools’ Day end? Rules, etiquette and history on jokes or pranks after noon

Millions of people around the world are currently making sure they don’t fall for the latest April Fool’s prank, with even big brands getting in on the act.

Whether you’re switching the office kitchen sugar bowl with salt, or tin foiling your housemate’s bedroom, folks from all ages like to get involved with the festivities.

But have you ever stopped to wonder why we have a dedicated day of pranking?

Although no one quite knows where April Fools’ Day came from, what is known is that it dates back hundreds of years.

Here is where historians think it all began.

How did April Fools’ Day begin?

Here are some of the top theories on where the beloved pranking day came from.

April Fools Day started as a French calendar error

Back in 1582, France switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar causing New Year’s Day to move from April 1 to January 1.

This was decreed by Pope Gregory XIII for all European countries.

Some believe the tradition of April Fools Day began when people continued to ring in the New Year on April 1 because they hadn’t heard about the calendar change.

These fools were laughed at by others and had tricks playing on them including paper ‘Poisson d’Avril’ (April Fish) fish stuck to their backs, symbolising being gullible like young, easily caught fish.

This tradition is still observed in Frances, Belgium, and French-speaking areas of Switzerland and Canada.

April Fools Day is Mother Nature having a laugh

Others believe April Fools’ Day is actually linked to the Spring Equinox, marked on March 20 this year, and is all about mother nature unleashing unpredictable weather on everyone.

You might be fooled into thinking winter has ended, but don’t put away those winter woollies just yet because spring can be just as cold and wet despite the lovely cherry blossom.

April Fools Day could date back to the Hilaria festival

Historians have also linked the Roman festival of Hilaria to April Fools’ Day, due to people dressing in disguises during celebrations to celebrate the resurrection of the Roman God Attis.

Hilaria – also known as Roman Laughing Day – is marked on March 25 but people would continue dressing up after that until April 1 hence the link.

Other festivals have also been linked to April Fools Day including India’s Holi festival and the Sizdahbedar in Persian culture where Iranians play pranks on one another.

When did April Fools’ Day come to the UK?

It is possible that April Fools’ came to British shores as early as 1392.

This is the year that Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales was written, with a story of a vain cock being tricked by a fox.

The date of this happening is believed to be April 1, with his date of ‘Syn March bigan thritty dayes and two’ thought to refer to March 32 – also known as April 1.

It is well-documented that British pranksters started playing practical jokes on one another on April 1 from at least 1700.

Anyone who is successfully fooled before midday is known as a ‘noodle’, ‘gob’, gobby’ or ‘noddy’ while anyone doing the fooling after midday is considered a fool themselves.

MORE: When does April Fools’ Day end? Rules, etiquette and history on jokes or pranks after noon

MORE: 17 funniest April Fools’ Day pranks you can do over text, Facebook or WhatsApp

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Ah, April Fool’s Day; 24 hours when we’re all on edge waiting for the next big prank.

There was a time when it was all about fooling your nearest and dearest, from switching their food to give them a shock when they take a bite to surreptitiously sticking embarrassing notes to their back.

Nowadays, though, it’s a day that largely belongs to brands.

Businesses from all sorts of industries pull out their best hoaxes, to the point it’s hard to know what to believe come April 1.

Fear not, as we’ve compiled the best, weirdest, and silliest tricks you’ll come across this April Fool’s Day.

Keep your wits about you and your gullibility in check, and hopefully you’ll make it through the day without being the butt of the joke.

Babybel turns square

The circular snacking cheese brand announced plans to shapeshift this April Fool’s Day, apparently as Babybel is deemed to be ‘too fun’ and in need of a more ‘mature’ image.

after it came to light that the brand is deemed ‘too fun’, the decision has been made to change to a new, more ‘mature’ shape.

‘When it comes to our cheese, we’re not messing around and think it’s time to cater for a more serious audience,’ explained a Bel UK spokesperson.

‘Therefore, we have made the bold decision to announce we are making the biggest change to Babybel in our history to become square and are excited to be making even bigger changes this year.’

Thorpe Park launches pop-up for shoes lost on rollercoasters

During its annual spring clean, Thorpe Park claimed to have discovered over 2,000 pairs of shoes that visitors had lost on its rollercoasters.

As a result, the theme park declared the launch of The Lost Souls Pop-Up, a secondhand vintage footwear store where shoppers can pick up unclaimed shoes at bargain prices.

Store manager, Clair Jordans, commented ‘The trainer resale market is booming with many collectors being unable to track down their favourite pairs, making the Lost Souls Pop-Up a must-visit this Spring.’

Tinder bans fish pictures

Dating app Tinder is saying enough is enough to fish pic with its April Fool’s prank, declaring that profiles will be moderated to ban the ubiquitous ‘man holding up catch of the day’ photos.

After a recent study revealed 92% of singles reported ‘getting the ick’ when coming across a potential match’s angling snap, Tinder proclaimed that all fish-related content would be removed within 24 hours.

The company says the move will make it ‘easier than ever for members to reel in a catch.’

Toolstation creates paintbrush that goes round corners

This joke invention is pretty much the April Fool’s version of sending an apprentice off for tartan paint.

Toolstation has teamed up with Hamilton For The Trade to reimagine decorating and create (at least in theory) the world’s first Round The Corner Brush, featuring a u-shaped handle that extends to a metre in length.

‘We are so excited at this evolution in paint brushes,’ says Sarah Coussens, Head of Marketing for Hamilton. ‘We’ve achieved the dream here – paint round corners without having to move around the wall!’

Jeweller unveils first ever hot cross Bun engagement ring

Ahead of Easter, jewellery brand Jessica Flinn has come up with a seasonal way to propose.

The hot cross bun engagement ring is said to be a world first, boasting a cross of baguette-cut white diamonds with a salt and pepper stone and a cluster of cognac diamonds in the middle.

To top it off, marquise-cut black diamonds play the part of raisins in this tasty piece, while ‘cross my heart and hope to tie’ is engraved on the inside.

Despite being a fun invention, the made to order ring is available to buy for real, packaged in a bun-scented mini egg box and priced at £3,990.

LNER renames Azuma train Trainy McTrainface

Remember Boaty McBoatFace? LNER is aiming to go one better this April Fool’s by renaming an Azuma train Trainy McTrainface.

The name of the vehicle, which is part of a fleet of 65, was allegedly chosen by customers as part of a 2020 competition.

If you’re gutted it’s not real, though, there is an official Trainy McTrainface you can travel on in Sweden.

Malibu and Irn Bru team up to create Mali-Bru

The sunny Caribbean is about as different a climate as you can get from Scotland, but that doesn’t mean they can’t join forces for the sake of the day.

Malibu has teamed up with Irn Bru to create Mali-Bru, which is said to evoke ‘white sandy beaches, iron girders, and a sun-kissed Cumbernauld.’

The drinks giants will be giving customers the chance to get their hands on a can of the limited edition concoction, and it’ll also be available in selected bars around Scotland. Perhaps if enough fans kick up a fuss, they’ll be forced to make the stunt a permanent addition to the range.

Mash Direct reveals cabbage and carrot perfumes

Many people enjoy gourmand fragrances, but this April Fool perfume line from Mash Direct is a tad more literal.

The company is apparently releasing a ‘unique’ perfume collection with scents including Red Cabbage and Beetroot Blast, Cool Carrot and Parsnip, and Green Cabbage.

Clare Forster, Head of Marketing at Mash Direct, said: ‘Everyone loves the smell of food so it made sense to bottle our delicious vegetable side dishes up in to something that can last much longer than a meal time whilst offering people something different to any other perfume out there.’

Plant based brand announces move into Rabbit Food

Moving Mountains is playing on plant-based patter by announcing a playful move into Rabbit Food.

The meat-free food company revealed in a statement: ‘This April, bunnies around the UK can enjoy delicious mini pellet versions of the iconic Moving Mountains plant-based burger or “Bunny Sized Burger Bites”.’

Maybe that’ll stop people making the same joke every time they see a vegan option on a menu…

Papa Johns launches pizza protein drink: Drool

According to Papa Johns’ marketing, the pizza chain will be launching a pizza-flavoured protein shake on April 1.

Drool comes in three flavours – Cheese and Tomato, All the Meats and The Vegan Works – so gym bunnies can get their pizza fix while protecting their gains.

Alternatively, you always could blend a slice into your post-workout protein drink.

Ocado creates cheesy edible candles

Cheese fiends will be upset to know that this is a hoax: Ocado’s foolishness this year was the announcement of a new line of fromage-filled edible candles.

The ‘Cheese and Kimchi Smelt’ combines mature cheddar and fermented cabbage and is bound together with a piece of toasted bread to keep everything secure.

Simply light your fragrant candle, let the filling melt, then dip or drizzle to your heart’s content.

The supermarket says it’ll be expanding its range of Smelt candles later in the year, with Burrata and Anchovy and Brie and Cranberry varieties on their way. We wouldn’t recommend holding your breath, though.

Honda AI technology blocks out driving distractions

Block out cries of ‘are we there yet?’ with Honda’s new piece of (fake) tech.

HUSH (Honda’s Ultra Quiet Sonic Hub) gives drivers the ability to drown out distracting sounds at the touch of a button by emitting customisable, continuous and progressive audio, with options including white noise, whale song and elevator music.

It’s also said to feature ‘child screaming recognition’ and AI-based identification of phrases like ‘you’ve missed the turn.’

Modern Milkman announces green milk

No, this milk isn’t sour. It’s actually a stunt from Modern Milkman, said to be made thanks to a bovine diet of ‘delicious and nutritious’ seagrass.

It’s apparently in response to the continued rise of traditional feed, and the dairy delivery firm say its cows have been indulging on a diet of the flowering plant – turning their milk a pretty pistachio shade.

Modern Milkman adds that its circular glass bottle reuse scheme means its milkround is even ‘greener than ever’.

Robinsons releases ham and pineapple squash

We expect controversy with this one; Robinsons is riling up foodies across the nation with its latest prank.

The brand announced it’s introducing a Succulent Ham and Juicy Pineapple flavour to its line-up on April 1, combining refreshing squash with the most divisive of pizza toppings.

Marketing Director Charlotte White says: ‘Robinsons customers have been crying out for us to expand our flavour offering to sweet and savoury combinations for years.

‘Ham and pineapple is a well-established flavour combination when it comes to pizza, so it was a no-brainer to bring that to the world of squash.’

Pizza Express launches savoury Easter Egg

There’s a number of pizza-themed pranks this year, including Pizza Express announcing the release of a limited edition Easter egg.

In the Padana and American Hot flavours, the 3D Pizza Egg is said to mirror the structure of a traditional egg – only instead of chocolate, it’s made from cheese and tomato sauce.

Faustino releases AI wine bottle that only opens when the vibe is right

Faustino, the largest vineyard owner in Rioja, revealed the advent of a new AI-driven wine bottle, just in time for April Fool’s

Faustino Futura including a vibe check function that only opens ‘when the vibe is right,’ a built-in speaker that feeds users conversation starters at dinner parties, and a feature that translates ‘wine jargon’ into Gen Z language.

Little Caesar’s debuts fish and chips pizza

Pizza again! This time it’s from Little Caesars, a chain that has branches all of the world, including one UK location in Derby.

Its April Fool’s effort is the Catch of The Day pizza inspired by the classic Britishdish, fish and chips.

The 12-inch pizza features a mushy pea base, salt and vinegar crust, and battered cod and chip toppings, all served with tartar sauce for dipping.

Little Caesars is planning to expand here in Blighty, with two stores in London and a store in Manchester and Liverpool set to open later this year. Presumably this is an attempt to appeal to our tastebuds, but it’s sort of working.

JOYclub says no thanks to dick pics

Sex positive platform JOYclub announced a new update to its app this week; technology that literally says no to dick pics.

Recipients of unsolicited images can activate a sound in the sender’s phone that loudly shouts, ‘No thanks, don’t be a dick,’ for one minute – even if they’ve put their handset on silent.

It’s a shame this one isn’t real, as it’d make a great deterrent for inappropriate messages.

Waitrose launches Mix Your Own Merlonay

Campo Viejo pipped Waitrose to the post with this same prank last year, but we’re still enjoying this fictional Merlonay.

The ‘mix your own rosé’ has red and white wines in the same bottle, and the supermarket advises customers to blend their own personalised drink.

Pura releases world’s first self-cleaning nappy

Getting our hopes all the way up, baby care brand Pura announced it had created the world’s first nappy that cleans itself.

The exact mechanisms of the revolutionary (and sadly imaginary) product have been kept under wraps, but founder Guy Fennell says it will be ‘an extraordinary technological development unlike anything the world has ever seen!’

Dulux replaces Old English Sheepdog mascot for King Charles Spaniel ahead of Coronation

The iconic Dulux Dog is being put out to pasture in favour of a more royal spokespup; the King Charles Spaniel.

The brand will likely devastate fans of the Old English Sheepdog mascot, a breed that has served as the face of Dulux for the last 60 years.

Thankfully it’s just a temporary retirement, however, and the change only applies to the Coronation Collection of paints.

Burger King adds Chilli Heatwave Doritos flavour to chicken fries range

This one gets a mention solely for the fact it doesn’t seem like an April Fool.

Burger King’s ‘prank’ is the release of Doritos Chilli Heatwave Chicken Fries, which it claims is ‘a match so good, it could almost be a joke.’

The collaboration is said to feature BK Chicken Fries with a spicy tortilla dusting- and it genuinely sounds like a tasty menu item, so we urge the powers at be to reconsider it for real.

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Ahh, April Fools’ Day. A much-needed time for jokes, pranks and general silliness.

But it’s rather difficult to take part in all the antics if you’re busy at work all day, and have no time to fool your family, friends or loved ones.

Many are delaying their gags until the evening for this reason, and some are even getting ahead of the curve and setting up their jokes before April 1.

April Fools’ Day always gives us a good laugh – but when should the jokes come to an end?

When should you stop telling April Fools’ jokes?

Traditionally, you can only tell April Fools’ jokes until midday (12pm) on April 1.

After that time, you are supposed to hold your hands up and come clean about your various pranks.

And April Fools’ Day rules confirm this.

Dating back to at least the 1700s, the rules state you can’t delay your jokes until the afternoon.

Anyone telling pranks afternoon is considered to be the fool themselves – as they either don’t know the proper rules, or have failed to properly acknowledge them.

Interestingly, nobody actually knows why there is a joke deadline for April Fools’ Day.

Where does April Fools Day originate from?

It is unclear where April Fools Day originates from – but there are many theories surrounding this.

One popular theory is that it began in 1582, when France switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar causing New Year’s Day to move from April 1 to January 1.

Many people still rang in the New Year on April 1, as they weren’t aware of the calendar change, and these people were laughed at and had tricks played on them, as they were ‘fools’.

Other people believe that the day marks Mother Nature playing tricks on us, as the weather at this time of year is often very unpredictable.

Is April Fools Day celebrated in other countries?

The UK isn’t the only country to play tricks on people on April 1, with lots of other countries sharing this tradition.

In Ireland, a long standing April Fools tradition was to give an important letter to a chosen ‘fool’ and ask them to give it to a certain person.

That person would then read the letter, and ask the fool to pass it on to someone else and so on.

When opened, the letter would read ‘send the fool further’.

In Italy, France and other French speaking areas, the day is called April Fish and a common prank is to attach a paper fish to someone’s back without them noticing.

In Poland, April Fools Day is taken very seriously and news outlets often cooperate with each other and write the same false stories to make them even more believable.

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April Fools’ Day falls on a Saturday this year, meaning that those of us who don’t work weekends may not be able to prank our colleagues in the office.

But fear not – for there are plenty of April Fools’ gotcha opportunities to take via text or on social media.

Want to prank someone, but aren’t sure what to do? Here’s a bit of inspiration to get the ideas whirring.

But keep in mind: pranks should be funny, not cruel – and everyone should be laughing along by the end.

Let’s take a look at your options…

The best April Fools’ Day jokes for texts and over social media

Congratulate a friend for a made up milestone

Post a status on your Facebook account, congratulating your bestie on their pregnancy/engagement/new job.

Make sure to tag their account in the post and watch them be flooded with congratulatory messages.

You could even get a few friends involved in the prank and have them all write individual posts to make it more believable.

Fake a celebrity meeting

Put your photoshop skills to the test and fool your friends into thinking you’ve had a chance meeting with your favourite celebrity.

Try not to pick someone too famous to make it more believable – you’re unlikely to have bumped into Kim Kardashian in Morrisons.

Elaborate the story by fabricating a strange remark the celebrity said to you, or a weird quirk they have, so your friends never look at them the same way again.

Pretend you have no idea who is texting you

Every time a friend texts you throughout the day, reply with ‘sorry who is this?’.

Play dumb and pretend you have no idea who they are until you’ve driven them mad.

Fake the adoption of an unusual pet

Post a picture of an undomesticated animal (for example a pigeon or a squirrel) and announce that it is the newest member of the family.

Give the animal a ridiculous name and wait for the confused replies from your friends to come rolling in.

Send a suspicious text to someone, then tell them to ignore it

Text someone entirely in song lyrics

Send a panicked DM over an accidental post

Bustle recommends this one. Simply text, WhatsApp or DM your friend saying something like ‘OMG, did you mean to post that on your Instagram? I really don’t think you did.’

And watch them freak out out in the replies.

Buy some fake piercings and send photos to your family

Become a facts bot

Change your logo

@emilyzugay#ad You should not laugh out loud or be surprised at how good my logo is @lolsurprise #ad♬ original sound – Emily’sTikTok.edu

Got a small business? An online brand? Or maybe you feel like announcing a fake project?

Take a leaf out of TikTokker Emily Zugay’s book and go for a, erm, interesting logo choice.

The ‘OMG have you seen this?’ text

Arguably, ‘rickrolling’ is the laziest April Fools’ Day joke ever.

Simply your pal you’ve spotted a click-worthy video or news story, and send the link, hoping they’ll click on it and be annoyed at themselves – and you. Or try it on your Facebook page.

If you don’t want to link to YouTube (where the Never Gonna Give You Up video has been watched over 1.1 billion times), you can use this bit.ly link for your trick here: https://bit.ly/3qMaF4M

Plus, if you are working – here’s a few classics for those stuck in the office…

Stealthily change their framed photos

It’s easy to get away with, amusing – and perhaps one to try and at home in the morning, too.

Make a colleague’s computer shut down whenever they click an icon

After pulling this prank, your colleague will have their computer shut down whenever they try to click a commonly used program.

To do it, go to their most-used desktop icon, right-click on it, and select ‘edit properties’.

Then go to ‘shortcut’ and change the target to ‘%windir%system32shutdown.exe -r -t 00’.

Get a bluetooth mouse

Install a bluetooth mouse on a colleague’s computer – then leave the mouse itself in a drawer next to you.

Whenever they’re at their desk, open the drawer – the mouse will move around, making your colleague’s cursor look like it’s flying around the screen for no reason.

Repeat until the rage becomes too much.

Install a hidden speaker

Install a bluetooth speaker under your colleague’s chair and connect it to your phone.

Load up some sound effects – air horns, sirens, whatever you fancy – and make sure you hit ‘play’ whenever they sit down…

Record an annoying noise on a dictaphone

Make a long recording of something infuriating on a dictaphone – whistling, clicking, beeping or whirring, for example.

Then hide the dictaphone somewhere, press ‘play’, and watch the chaos unfold.

‘Crack’ your colleague’s computer screen

Don’t actually do this – just download an image of a cracked screen, and set it as a screensaver.

Make sure it becomes active after 30 seconds or so of inactivity, so that when they come back after a break, they believe their computer is busted.

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It’s that time of the year when the games industry tries to prank the public with obviously fake April Fool’s announcements.

The games industry loves to make its April Fool’s jokes every year, but it can’t exactly afford to make them too convincing or appealing. Announcing a really cool game only to turn around and admit it’s fake will more than likely attract vitriol from an already easy to anger audience.

So, it tends to make do with obvious fake announcements that either aren’t that funny, are really bizarre (and not that funny), or do something odd within the games themselves.

We’ve experienced a number of them ourselves today (and there may be more to follow once America fully wakes up), so here’s a rundown of the stand-out April Fool’s pranks of 2022, for better or worse.

Pokémon Go is infested with Ditto

The best April Fool’s gags are usually ones that temporarily impact actual gameplay, allowing for harmless but entertaining deviations you’d otherwise never experience.

In Niantic’s case, it’s filled Pokémon Go with almost nothing but Ditto, the little pinkish blob whose only gimmick is that it can transform into other pokémon. The official website suggests that Professor Willow has been replaced with one too and maybe even you are a Ditto. Actually, this is starting to veer into something more Halloween appropriate.

Among Us adds playable horses

Innersloth has added a free update to its social deduction game Among Us, called Horse Mode. As you can guess from the name, it turns crewmates into horses or, rather, gives them horse-like bodies.

The only other real differences, according to the game’s website, are a new ‘neigh’ kill sound and a new kill animation for imposters, one Innersloth describes as ‘anticlimactic.’ It’s only available until April 2 and, while you probably won’t be missing out on much, it’s worth giving it a go so you and friends can horse around.

Fake Metal Gear anniversary website mocks Konami NFT auction

This one just about skirted on the possibility of being believable, but a 35th anniversary website for the Metal Gear franchise was met with scepticism since Konami has thoroughly neglected the franchise for four years now.

While it’s sad to know that hasn’t changed, the website’s true nature is amusing, offering Konami memorial NFTs that just link you to the Metal Gear website, perhaps to raise awareness and encourage people into asking Konami for some re-releases. Enjoy it while it lasts, though, because Konami will likely have it taken down before long.

Tetris Effect studio selling energy drinks

This one’s definitely a contender for oddest April Fool’s joke of the year. Enhance Games, the publisher for visually stunning puzzle games Tetris Effect and Rez Infinite, announced that it would be entering the ‘beverage space’ with a line-up of flavoured drinks.

The website announcement almost looks legitimate with how it advertises its energy drink, but it gives the game away when it starts promoting green tea and cold brew coffee in a can. The way Enhance tries to sell you bog standard water that it admits to filtering from its Tokyo office is deserving of a chuckle.

Sonic Frontiers limited edition is just a bath set

One of the first April Fool’s jokes to pop up, desperate Sonic The Hedgehog fans may have fallen for this one with how eager they are for news on the next game. At least until they realise that all the limited edition’s goodies are for the bathroom, barring the Game Gear handheld console that Sega admits isn’t waterproof.

Funnily enough, items like the wooden bathtub and hand towel look like genuine products that some fans would pay money for. They even have brand-new artwork on them as well, featuring a sharply drawn Sonic staring across the landscape at a mysterious looming tower.

Elden Ring 2 delayed until George R. R. Martin beats Margit, the Fell Omen

This one comes courtesy of PCGamesN, which says that, in an exclusive interview, Elden Ring director Hidetaka Miyazaki admitted development on the sequel can’t start until George R. R. Martin beats a particular boss fight. What’s more, it’s Martin who’s refusing to meet with FromSoftware and he’s even making it harder for himself by challenging the boss at level one and making a new character every time he dies.

The thought of Elden Ring 2 being indefinitely delayed because of Martin’s stubbornness is funny. Although it’s far too soon for Bandai Namco and FromSoftware to worry about a sequel, even if one is expected to be made following Elden Ring’s commercial success. Whether Martin will return to assist with worldbuilding is another question entirely.

PlatinumGames announces nine new games and we can’t tell if they’re fake

Easily the most infuriating joke of the bunch, because it may not even be a joke. PlatinumGames announced nine new games in active development, with names like High-Speed Action Racing and Apocalyptic Giant Robot Fighting that hint at their genres. They even have character silhouettes.

It almost feels like too much effort for an April Fool’s gag (one of them even has detailed character art) and the last time Platinum made a ‘fake’ game announcement for April Fool’s, it wound up being real. That game was Sol Cresta, which is even listed with the other nine as part of its Neo Classic Arcade line-up.

So, is at least one of these other games actually going to be made? If Platinum’s aim was to confuse everybody, it’s succeeded. Considering the quality of its games has kind of nosedived in recent years (with Babylon’s Fall an unmitigated disaster), we’d rather it be a bit franker and more honest with its upcoming projects.

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Kerry Katona received a mixed reaction when she pranked her fans with a fake pregnancy announcement in aid of April Fool’s Day.

The TV star, 41, is a mother to five children and decided to play a prank on her 797k followers by saying she was expecting a sixth.

Kerry shares Molly, 20, and Lilly-Sue, 18, with former Westlife member Brian McFadden, 41, and Heidi, 14, and Maxwell, 13, with ex Mark Croft, 50.

Taking to Instagram to make the joke as realistic as possible, Kerry shared an image of an ultrasound scan with the caption: ‘Love you @ryanmahoney_7,’ tagging her partner.

However, after fans called her bluff, Kerry edited the caption to read: ‘Bloody knew you lot wouldn’t believe me!!! 😂😂😂’

The Atomic Kitten singer has since deleted the post from her page completely, after it was branded ‘totally unacceptable,’ particularly by those who cannot have children.

Taking to Twitter to share their frustrations, one fan wrote: ‘Totally unacceptable from @KerryKatona7 as an infertile woman, who has never managed to have children I find this disgusting that someone in the public eye would use their platform to promote this joke THEN DELETE IT.’

Another tweeted: ‘Kerry Katona, pretending to be pregnant as an April Fool’s prank is disgusting and heartless!!! There’s women out there who’ve lost babies or can’t have children and you do this???’

One stated that ‘fake pregnancy announcements are not funny at any time of the year’ while one said it was ‘the lowest thing.’

According to NHS statistics, around 1 in 7 couples may have difficulty conceiving.

While Kerry herself has not addressed the backlash on social media, a spokesperson for the Only Fans content creator told The Sun that she didn’t mean to cause any upset, or to even post it so publicly in the first place.

‘It was an April Fools joke for her fiancé Ryan, but she posted it to her public account and not her private one with very close friends by accident,’ they said.

‘Kerry herself cannot have any more children due to medical issues and has openly spoken about this in the past.

‘She sincerely apologises to anyone who is offended and would never post anything to purposely upset anyone.’

Kerry and Ryan, 32, have been together for over three years now, with Kerry recently opening up on getting her eggs harvested in a bid to welcome a child together.

The pair got engaged in August 2020, with Kerry saying the personal trainer previously wasn’t the ‘marriage kind of guy.’

After Covid ‘threw a spanner in the works’ with regards to their wedding planning, Kerry said they have plans to marry in Las Vegas but are ‘in no rush.’

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Today might be the one day everyone will be able to answer Heardle’s puzzle on their first try.

Don’t worry Wordle fans, it doesn’t have anything ridiculous planned for April Fool’s Day. If you’re disappointed that Wordle has opted not to take part in the shenanigans, however, you may be pleased to know that Heardle has at least had some fun with the occasion.

As Wordle’s musical equivalent, where the aim is to figure out what song is being played in less than six tries, you can probably safely guess which one Heardle went with for April Fool’s Day, if you’re at all familiar with classic internet humour.

Judging by fan responses on Twitter, plenty were caught off-guard and either left rolling their eyes or giving the game kudos for today’s choice. If you want to try and figure it out yourself, click the link and head over there now before it gets spoiled for you (as it will be here, after the advert below).

Yes, today’s answer is Never Gonna Give You Up by Rick Astley, a song famous nowadays for the Rickroll prank, where people will trick others into clicking a misleading link, claiming it’s for a crazy news story or video when it’s actually for Astley’s 1987 music video.

Those opening notes are so recognisable that plenty have managed to guess it on their first try, or at least their second.

For some people, Heardle took the prank one step further and tricked them into thinking that an error had occurred, claiming that today’s track wasn’t available in their location. It then provided a link to the answer which, of course, was the music video.

While some may feel the Rickroll meme is overdone, it’s certainly one of the better April Fool’s jokes of the year, as it’s both fitting and actually funny without being meanspirited or spreading misinformation.

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A statue of Piers Morgan planned for London, the Queen to take ownership of seized superyachts, and a monkey on the loose in Stoke-on-Trent? If those stories seem too good to be true, then you would be correct.

A slew of April Fools’ gags have hit the headlines to test the gullibility of Brits.

Some checking the news before their morning coffee have been left red-faced after falling for some slightly sensational stories.

Metro.co.uk have wrapped up the highlights of this morning’s ‘fake news’.

Plans for ‘anti-woke warrior’ statue

A 10ft statue of Piers Morgan could loom over Trafalgar Square, the Sun reported.

The newspaper claimed ‘obscure’ US artist Joseph Kerr – a subtle reference to the Joker’s real name in Batman – was due to design the statue.

Piers was quoted saying: ‘The world’s best columnist will now be standing alongside the world’s most famous column.

‘And like Admiral Lord Nelson, I’m always on the right side of history.

‘Just be grateful that, unlike Michelangelo’s David, I’m not totally naked.’

The publication stated the sculpture was due to sit on the Fourth Plinth, opposite Nelson’s Column.

One member of the public commented: ‘If we can have a big blue cock on the Fourth Plinth, then I guess having Piers up there isn’t much of a leap.’

From Hollywood to… Wrexham?

Football fans were dumbfounded when they woke to news that Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds was to play as goalkeeper for Wrexham.

The Daily Star said the Hollywood actor would try his luck against Stockport County in tomorrow’s game.

It reasoned because Reynolds had played in goal for an ice hockey team in Canada, he would be a solid fit for the team.

Reynolds ‘told’ the Star: ‘Sure, being in Hollywood films and playing superheroes like Deadpool is fun.

‘But it’s time for a new challenge and I’m relishing a clean sheet against Stockport County more than any Oscar I’ve ever wanted.

‘I’ve only just started training for it but I can promise that when corners come in, I’ll be punching the ball away harder than Will Smith smacked Chris Rock.’

Mound meets wall

The Mirror’s morning exclusive came in the shape of the latest ‘levelling up’ plans from the UK government.

Remants of the Marble Arch mound in London would be used to rebuild Hadrian’s Wall in the North of England, they claimed.

The newspaper said Londoners were ‘distraught’ when the £6 million mound started to be torn down after its ‘storming success’ last year.

Tory MP and London tourism minister Mike Wrap – who only exists on April 1 – was quoted to say: ‘The mound is simply too good for London to hog it to itself.

‘Hadrian’s Wall has been incomplete for too long and, frankly, is an eyesore whereas the mound has lit up the London skies.’

The Mirror reported the project would cost £10 billion and take three months to finish.

But sources revealed the true cost would be £720 billion, and it would ‘probably never be finished’.

Royals to benefit from Russians

The Guardian reported a lobbying effort was underway to let the Queen and her family use yachts seized from oligarchs.

It would save money for state visits in the ‘short-term’ before the luxury yachts are potentially returned once sanctions are lifted.

Officials at the Ministry of Defence told the Guardian they were going ‘full steam ahead’ with the proposal.

For any readers that fell hook, line and sinker for the early paragraphs of the article – the name of one Conservative MP quoted would have revealed all.

Shiv R M’Timbers told the Guardian: ‘We might as well put these boats to some good use.

‘After all, the royals have a rich history of taking things that don’t belong to them, and never giving them back! But don’t quote me on that.’

Six becomes five

Stories from the world of sport also hit the headlines, such as news from Ruck magazine that England Rugby boss Eddie Jones had made huge changes.

He was said to have made ‘dramatic decisions’ following England’s lack of success in winning this year’s Six Nations.

It was reported the Six Nations would become five for the first time since the year 2000, after England top brass decided to leave the tournament.

Jones told Ruck that England would join ‘an exciting’ new tournament alongside well-known rugby nations Iceland, Cyprus and Madagascar.

Statue to celebrate everything Kent

We all know the white cliffs of Dover, but just you wait until you’ve seen Kent’s gigantic white… horse?

A 320ft high statue could be the region’s answer to the Angel of the North according to reports.

KentLive claimed the towering horse, chosen because of its significance to Kent’s history, would be taller than both Big Ben and the Statue of Liberty.

John Clavichord, from Deal, was quoted to say: ‘you couldn’t make it up’.

Monkey escapee

Finally, the Manchester Evening News jumped on an April Fools’ gag from Trentham Monkey Forest about an escaped monkey.

The (cuddly) primate had fled from the gift shop and was spotted in various different locations.

While on the run, the monkey revelled in the sunshine and tucked into Easter treats on offer at the Stoke-on-Trent animal park.

Staff eventually ‘caught’ the primate after he was spotted swinging on monkey bars at Trentham Monkey Forest’s playpark.

Now the clock has struck noon, April Fools’ jokes should hopefully retire for the rest of the day – but that won’t stop some scrolling near the bottom of their newsfeeds from potentially still stumbling on the ‘fake news’.

You can also read about more April Fools’ offerings – which included more sensational scandals and animal antics – from last year.

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

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While some may have seen it coming from a mile away with it being April Fools’ Day… Good Morning Britain managed to convince many viewers that disaster had struck live on TV.

Today of all days, everyone should know to be particularly wary of any news they see on TV on social media.

However, that doesn’t stop some from falling for pranks in the moment, with Friday’s GMB featuring presenter Laura Tobin being shown an extremely rare plant, described as being one-of-a-kind.

While speaking to Matthew Pottage, a curator from RHS Gardens Wisley (yes, that is his real name), he explained to her that the ‘unique’ anemone nemorosa was going to be named after her, and would be sold a couple of years after being bred.

However, as he handed it over to Laura so that she could take a closer look, the plant dropped on the floor, with the pot breaking into numerous pieces across the ground.

Both Matthew and Laura screamed in shock, as the curator stormed off in apparent fury over what had occurred.

‘Matt, we can save this, right? Is there really only one of these? I think we can save it, I think it will be ok,’ Laura said frantically as the camera continued filming her.

Back in the ITV studio, Ben Shephard was seen grinning in amusement, while Kate Garraway looked gobsmacked as she watched the scenes unfold.

Laura then went off to check that Matthew was ok as the segment came to an end.

While some GMB viewers expressed their sympathies towards Laura for being involved in such an unfortunate situation… others immediately sussed that it was obviously a hoax for April Fools’ Day.

‘Well April fool didn’t cross my mind at first because I had forgotten what day it was. I was too busy doing the school morning ritual in between watching telly. I fell for it and was open mouthed in front of my tv feeling sorry for poor Laura. 5 minutes later the penny dropped,’ one person tweeted.

‘Hilarious but don’t think anyone fell for it lol,’ someone else remarked, while another admitted: ‘Ha, got me at first.’

One viewer said that they had been on tenterhooks ‘waiting for you guys to fool me’, but then despite promising themselves that they weren’t going to fall for a trick, their ‘heart is still racing from that plant drop’.

‘Why do I still believe it is real? April fool did not even cross my mind,’ another confessed.

‘If that was an April fool, I totally fell for it. I was genuinely upset about that dropped plant,’ someone else reacted.

One viewer said that they knew it was a ‘wind up’ the minute they saw ‘Matthew Pottage’ shown on screen – despite the fact that is his name, albeit a very apt one for his profession.

Did you fall for it?

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It’s the first day of April – which means we all need to be on high alert.

These days it isn’t only salt in the sugar jar or cling film over the toilet that we need to watch out for.

Now, brands and companies are getting in on the act too, trying their best to fool us.

From outlandish new flavours of our favourite products, to the launch of bogus airlines, or Black Mirror-esque technology, make sure you’re watching all of today’s announcements with a healthy pinch of skepticism.

To help you avoid getting egg on your face today, we have pulled together the best, funniest and most convincing April Fool’s pranks from some of the biggest brands you know and love.

MADE.COM launches first ever ‘Grow-Your-Own Sofa’

The contemporary design brand claims to have sold the ‘The Pivot Problem’ – with narrow doorways cited globally as one of the top reasons for returning a sofa.

So how does this ‘grow-your-own -sofa’ allegedly work? Once safely in position, the sofa must be spritzed regularly with clean water over a period of 24 hours, until it gradually expands into a full-size sofa. No pivoting required. 

Deliveroo bans pineapple on pizza

Always a contentious issue, delivery service Deliveroo appears to have taken a stand this April Fool’s Day and banned all pineapple pizzas from being ordered by customers.

So, after ‘gaining support from Italian restaurant partners’ Pizza Express, Bella Italia and Pizza Pilgrims, as well as internal stakeholders like Deliveroo’s Chief Business Officer, the food-delivery company says it has made the decision to ban any Hawaiian pizza sales from the app, no matter the appetite for the debatable combo.

Duolingo launches airline for learning languages mid-flight

The education app has announced that it is launching a new airline that helps travellers learn languages whilst they fly. 

This clever prank gave itself away with the image of a bright green plane emblazoned with the Duolingo owl, which, somehow, doesn’t feel real.

However, the company says the launch is to celebrate Duolingo hitting 7 million learners on its Irish course, and Duolingo Air’s inaugural flight will be from London to Dublin, with more routes soon to be revealed. 

Tango launches three new takeaway inspired flavours

Inspired by some of our most loved takeaway foods, Tango has allegedly combined its traditional orange flavour with three British takeaway staples – Fizz and Chips, Carbonated Chicken and Citrus Gravy.

The company says the new flavours are designed to ‘tickle the taste buds’ and deliver the ultimate in tangy refreshment.

Gymbox launches in-palm implant – the Handfob

According to the London gym chain, members will now be able to check-in to any of the 10 Gymbox clubs with just a touch of their wrist through the under-skin implant.

Not only does the smart-tech allow for contact-free check-in, it also ‘tracks blood pressure changes, fluctuations in oxygen levels and calorie burn, relaying instant digital information to a smartphone app’ in a world-first for the fitness industry.

Huge if true!

Frankie & Benny’s bans all condiments

Sad news for sauce fans, restaurant chain Frankie & Benny’s have announced that they are banning all condiments in their restaurants. So get ready to choke down some dry chips.

As of today, – April 1 – the chain is allegedly no longer offering traditional condiments – including ketchup, mayonnaise or even salt and pepper – at their tables or even available to request when they sit to dine. 

Instead, they’ll find ‘No Condiments’ signs dotted around restaurants alongside an all-new menu. Sad times.

Honda launches pet co-pilot front seats

This might be the April Fool we most wish to be true.

The car brand Honda says it has launched a brand-new range of front passenger seats for pets.

Designed specifically for pets, each seat will ensure animals can get the best view in the car with a full view of the world around them, while being within a paw’s or fin’s reach of their human parent. Adorable.

World’s first holiday home with a retractable roof

Victory Leisure Homes claims to have devised the perfect solution for holidaymakers who want to sleep under the stars, creating a new suite of lodges with the added feature of a retractable roof.

Introducing: RooVe.

RooVe offers buyers ‘the best of both worlds’, realigning circadian rhythms with a night under the stars, while enjoying the comfort of one of Victory’s luxury holiday homes.

Bovril launches in-seat drinks dispensers at football stadium

Who doesn’t love a cup of hot Bovril at a chilly football game? Well now, Bovril say fans at Sheffield FC’s new ground can drink as much of the salty brown dtuff as they want.

The beefy heritage brand says it is partnering with the world’s oldest football club, Sheffield FC, to grant fans access to their own personal Bovril drinks dispenser – which can be used to access bottomless Bovril, right from their very own seats. Yum.

Skiddle launches candle that smells just like your favourite festival

In maybe one of the more horrifying April Fool’s pranks, Skiddle says it has launched a candle that smells like a festival – with aromas of burger vans, mud and port-a-loos.

The appropriately named ‘Festiv’eau’ aims to transport festival-lovers to the field of their dreams. 

Wedding ‘UN-invitations’ available to order now

Hitched.co.uk have allegedly responded to demand from those planning weddings to launch an ‘un-invitation’ for people who just won’t take the hint. 

Unlike a regular wedding invitation, the un-invitation is for those people who just don’t get the subtle hints, and need firm telling that actually – you’re not invited.

A limited quantity of the un-invitations are available to order online now, so couples need to be quick.

Subway launches bread-scented room diffuser

It’s well-known that the smell of freshly-baked bread will seduce buyers when selling your home – and so today, April 1, Subway has announced a new gadget that will deliver the fragrance at the touch of a button.

Subway says their ‘Eau de Dough’ room diffuser captures the notes of a perfectly baked Hearty Italian Sub. The state-of-the-art gadget releases a mouth-watering, room-filling vapour in under 0.25 seconds.

Iceland launches CBD Hash Brown Fries

Now this is an April Fool we could really get behind.

Iceland says it has launched the world’s first CBD Hash Brown Fries (costing just £1.00, 800g), a modern take on the classic breakfast food sure to have you starting the day stress-free and tackling the munchies in one hit.

According to their April 1 launch, the brand has infused its iconic Hash Brown Fries with CBD oil – and we want to try them.

Pot Noodle and Papa Johns launch the Pot Pizza

It may be a snack-lover’s idea of a dream, but sadly this perfect combination is unlikely to be real.

In one of the boldest flavour mash-ups of all time, Pot Noodle says it will be offering a fresh take on some of the most popular Papa John’s pizzas, pairing them with three infamous Pot Noodle flavours – Bombay Bad Boy, Chicken & Mushroom and Beef & Tomato.

Campo Viejo launches first half red and half white wine bottle

Inspired by all the best yin and yang pairings, Spanish wine brand Campo Viejo, is launching the world’s first wine ‘dottle’ – the double bottle split right down the middle.

The brand say this is the first wine product ever made that will contain both white and red wine – but not mixed. We are intrigued… and more than a little skeptical.

Do you have a story to share?

Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.

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April Fools’ Day falls on a Friday in 2022, which means some of us won’t have the opportunity to make in-person jokes.

But if the person you want to play a prank on doesn’t live nearby, fear not – for there are plenty of April Fools’ gotcha opportunities to take via text or on social media.

Want to prank someone, but aren’t sure what to do? Here’s a bit of inspiration to get the ideas whirring.

But keep in mind: pranks should be funny, not cruel – and everyone should be laughing along by the end.

Let’s take a look at your options…

The best April Fools’ Day jokes for texts and over social media

Send a suspicious text to someone, then tell them to ignore it

Text someone entirely in song lyrics

Send a panicked DM over an accidental post

Bustle recommends this one. Simply text, WhatsApp or DM your friend saying something like ‘OMG, did you mean to post that on your Instagram? I really don’t think you did.’

And watch them freak out out in the replies.

Buy some fake piercings and send photos to your family

Become a facts bot

Change your logo

@emilyzugay#ad You should not laugh out loud or be surprised at how good my logo is @lolsurprise #ad♬ original sound – Emily’sTikTok.edu

Got a small business? An online brand? Or maybe you feel like announcing a fake project?

Take a leaf out of TikTokker Emily Zugay’s book and go for a, erm, interesting logo choice.

The ‘OMG have you seen this?’ text

Arguably, ‘rickrolling’ is the laziest April Fools’ Day joke ever.

Simply your pal you’ve spotted a click-worthy video or news story, and send the link, hoping they’ll click on it and be annoyed at themselves – and you. Or try it on your Facebook page.

If you don’t want to link to YouTube (where the Never Gonna Give You Up video has been watched over 1.1 billion times), you can use this bit.ly link for your trick here: https://bit.ly/3qMaF4M

Plus a few classics for those stuck in the office…

Stealthily change their framed photos

It’s easy to get away with, amusing – and perhaps one to try and at home in the morning, too.

Make a colleague’s computer shut down whenever they click an icon

After pulling this prank, your colleague will have their computer shut down whenever they try to click a commonly used program.

To do it, go to their most-used desktop icon, right-click on it, and select ‘edit properties’.

Then go to ‘shortcut’ and change the target to ‘%windir%system32shutdown.exe -r -t 00’.

Get a bluetooth mouse

Install a bluetooth mouse on a colleague’s computer – then leave the mouse itself in a drawer next to you.

Whenever they’re at their desk, open the drawer – the mouse will move around, making your colleague’s cursor look like it’s flying around the screen for no reason.

Repeat until the rage becomes too much.

Install a hidden speaker

Install a bluetooth speaker under your colleague’s chair and connect it to your phone.

Load up some sound effects – air horns, sirens, whatever you fancy – and make sure you hit ‘play’ whenever they sit down…

Record an annoying noise on a dictaphone

Make a long recording of something infuriating on a dictaphone – whistling, clicking, beeping or whirring, for example.

Then hide the dictaphone somewhere, press ‘play’, and watch the chaos unfold.

‘Crack’ your colleague’s computer screen

Don’t actually do this – just download an image of a cracked screen, and set it as a screensaver.

Make sure it becomes active after 30 seconds or so of inactivity, so that when they come back after a break, they believe their computer is busted.

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April Fools’ Day is widely celebrated in the UK, where it can be dated back as far as the 1700s.

It’s a day dedicated to pulling pranks and playing jokes on your family and friends – newspapers and radio stations often get involved, telling tall tales to their readers and listeners.

But how is April Fools’ Day celebrated in the rest of the world?

Here is everything you need to know.

Is April Fools’ Day international?

April Fools’ Day is indeed celebrated internationally – however, it is largely only observed in the West.

Different countries have their own unique traditions for observing the day of pranking.

How is April Fools’ celebrated around the world?

France

In France, the annual holiday is celebrated with a tradition called ‘le poisson d’avril’, which means April Fish.

The French tradition involves placing a paper fish on the unsuspecting prank victim’s back, and shouting ‘poisson d’avril’ when they discover the fish.

The April Fish prank is also carried out in nearby countries Belgium and Italy.

Sweden

Like France, Belgium, and Italy, Sweden’s April Fools’ Day tradition is also linked to fish.

In Sweden, when someone pulls a prank they say the rhyme ‘April April din dumma sill,’ which means ‘April April you stupid herring.’ 

There’s an extra part of the rhyme that goes ‘jag kan lura dig vart jag vill’ or ‘jag kan lura vem jag vill,’ which means ‘I can fool you where I want’ or  ‘I can fool who I want.’

Greece

April Fools’ Day is also celebrated in Greece, where they believe that successfully pulling a prank on someone will bring the prankster good luck for the rest of the year. 

Ireland

Ireland also celebrates April Fools’ Day, but here, you have to pull your prank before midday, otherwise, you are the fool.

Brazil

In Brazil, April Fools’ is known as the ‘dia da mentira’, or ‘day of the lie’.

Like in many other countries on April Fools’ Day, news outlets will put out ridiculous headlines with false claims, and many individuals will tell white lies to each other to fool or prank their friends.

Scotland

In Scotland, a foolish person is called a ‘gowk’, so it makes sense that the day is traditionally known as Hunt the Gowk Day.

Scots actually celebrate April Fools’ Day for the first two days of April.

The first day is celebrated by pranking people, while the second – known as Tailie Day – is when people place tails on each other’s backs.

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Ahh, April Fools’ Day. A much-needed time for jokes, pranks and general silliness.

But it’s rather difficult to take part in all the antics if you’re busy at work all day, and have no time to fool your family, friends or loved ones.

Many are delaying their gags until the evening for this reason, with some are even getting ahead of the curve and setting up their jokes before April 1.

April Fools’ Day always gives us a good laugh – but when should the jokes come to an end?

When should you stop telling April Fools’ jokes?

Traditionally, you can only tell April Fools’ jokes until midday (12pm) on April 1.

After that time, you are supposed to hold your hands up and come clean about your various pranks.

And April Fools’ Day rules confirm this.

Dating back to at least the 1700s, the rules state you can’t delay your jokes until the afternoon.

Anyone telling pranks afternoon is considered to be the fool themselves – as they either don’t know the proper rules, or have failed to properly acknowledge them.

Interestingly, nobody actually knows why there is a joke deadline for April Fools’ Day.

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Millions of people around the world are currently making sure they don’t fall for the latest April Fool’s prank, with even big brands getting in on the act.

Whether you’re switching the office kitchen sugar bowl with salt, or tin foiling your housemate’s bedroom, folks from all ages like to get involved with the festivities.

But have you ever stopped to wonder why we have a dedicated day of pranking?

Although no one quite knows where April Fools’ Day came from, what is known is that it dates back hundreds of years.

Here is where historians think it all began.

How did April Fools’ Day begin?

Here are some of the top theories on where the beloved pranking day came from.

April Fools Day started as a French calendar error

Back in 1582, France switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar causing New Year’s Day to move from April 1 to January 1.

This was decreed by Pope Gregory XIII for all European countries.

Some believe the tradition of April Fools Day began when people continued to ring in the New Year on April 1 because they hadn’t heard about the calendar change.

These fools were laughed at by others and had tricks playing on them including paper ‘Poisson d’Avril’ (April Fish) fish stuck to their backs, symbolising being gullible like young, easily caught fish.

This tradition is still observed in Frances, Belgium, and French-speaking areas of Switzerland and Canada.

April Fools Day is Mother Nature having a laugh

Others believe April Fools’ Day is actually linked to the Spring Equinox, marked on March 20 this year, and is all about mother nature unleashing unpredictable weather on everyone.

You might be fooled into thinking winter has ended, but don’t put away those winter woollies just yet because spring can be just as cold and wet despite the lovely cherry blossom.

April Fools Day could date back to the Hilaria festival

Historians have also linked the Roman festival of Hilaria to April Fools’ Day, due to people dressing in disguises during celebrations to celebrate the resurrection of the Roman God Attis.

Hilaria – also known as Roman Laughing Day – is marked on March 25 but people would continue dressing up after that until April 1 hence the link.

Other festivals have also been linked to April Fools Day including India’s Holi festival and the Sizdahbedar in Persian culture where Iranians play pranks on one another.

When did April Fools’ Day come to the UK?

It is possible that April Fools’ came to British shores as early as 1392.

This is the year that Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales was written, with a story of a vain cock being tricked by a fox.

The date of this happening is believed to be April 1, with his date of ‘Syn March bigan thritty dayes and two’ thought to refer to March 32 – also known as April 1.

It is well-documented that British pranksters started playing practical jokes on one another on April 1 from at least 1700.

Anyone who is successfully fooled before midday is known as a ‘noodle’, ‘gob’, gobby’ or ‘noddy’ while anyone doing the fooling after midday is considered a fool themselves.

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Crowds swelled at the Bois de la Cambre – Brussels’ biggest park – on Thursday even though a festival dubbed ‘La Boum’ didn’t actually exist.

The announcement for the party, posted on Facebook in March, promised performances by singer and producer Calvin Harris and a one-off reunion of French band Daft Punk.

Despite police warning it was a fake event, a crowd of around 2,000 turned up regardless – leading to ugly clashes.

In footage posted on social media a topless woman was seen being mowed down as a unit of police on horseback moved through the revellers.

Worried party-goers gathered around the woman who is seen lying flat on the floor after being barged.

She was one of two event-goers who had to be taken to hospital, while eight in total were wounded.

Brussels police spokeswoman Ilse Van de keere said that 22 people were arrested and several police officers were injured in the clashes.

Tensions rose after police ordered the crowd to disperse toward the end of the afternoon.

People were seen throwing bottles and other projectiles at police, who used water cannons and tear gas to disperse the crowd.

Ms Van de keere said protesters damaged police vehicles and that seven police horses were injured. She said the situation returned to normal in the evening.

Large crowds have been gathering in Brussels parks this week to enjoy the unusually sunny weather, despite coronavirus restrictions limiting outside gatherings to four people.

Another event had been advertised for Friday in another Brussels park, promoted by a group called the Abyss.

The group said it does not question the government’s strategy but fights for citizens’ rights to gather outdoors.

Belgium has reported over 882,000 confirmed coronavirus cases and more than 23,000 virus-related deaths.

Hospital admissions due to Covid-19 have risen in recent weeks and health authorities have warned that intensive care units could reach a critical level by April 10 if the pace of new infections does not slow down.

Belgium’s current virus restrictions include a night-time curfew and a ban on non-essential international travel.

Brussels prosecutors have started an investigation to see who was behind the Facebook post.

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

For more stories like this, check our news page.

Ant and Dec’s lighthearted announcement on April Fools’ Day backfired on them as they revealed they are rebranding as Dec and Ant (even writing that felt weird).

The Britain’s Got Talent presenters shared the ‘announcement’ on Twitter on April 1, saying it was ‘only fair on the little guy’ to put his name first for a change.

‘Some big news for you guys… after 30 long years together we’ve decided a change is needed, and so without further ado, we can announce we’ll now be officially known as Dec & Ant. It’s only fair on the little guy,’ they wrote on Thursday.

They even added statements from each of them about the ‘change’, with Dec saying: ‘I’m over the moon, we agreed back in the Byker days that he’d take the first 30 years and I’d take the rest…it’s really the only reason I’ve been hanging around with him for this long.’

Ant added: ‘I’ve had a good run, but it’s time to hand over the reins. Hopefully this step back will give me more time to focus on some of my neglected hobbies…such as stamp collecting and medieval battle reenactments.’

‘Dec and Ant’ is all very funny, but the TV stars ended up panicking their followers who assumed the sombre start to their tweet meant they were parting ways.

A fan replied: ‘This didn’t even have the desired effect on me because I thought it was a goodbye tweet, thought you were saying you had enough! That wasn’t even what the aim of the tweet was, I’ve definitely read too many boyband breaking up statements.’

Another tweet read: ‘April fool to me… Before I read the whole sentence thought you were splitting up!’

‘Well let’s just say i quite frankly had a heart attack when i woke up to ‘some big news for you guy, after 30 long years together’…haha, happy april fools day,’ another said.

One follower replied: ‘When I tell you my heart rate dropped whilst reading the first half of that caption’, while another wrote: ‘Wow I panicked then that you was retiring. Thank god that’s not true! Not sure though Dec and Ant has the same ring to it hahahaha.’

Read a further reply: ‘When I read that “change is needed” I got a miniheartattack (sic) thinking that your doing something even more horrible but my heart fought through when I read the rest…then I already knew it was a joke, but realised the date only when coming to the comments.’

Ant and Dec of course have previous when it comes to pranking people, with their most recent Saturday Night Takeaway stunt targeting their ITV colleagues live on air.

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Everyone loves to hate April Fools’ Day – it’s all good fun until you’re the one getting pranked, right?

Many publications and companies have decided not to run jokes today due to the coronavirus pandemic, but some still managed to give us a laugh this morning.

Metro.co.uk has rounded up some of the stories seen on websites and in the papers today.

Harry and Meghan wedded by Elvis

The Sun claimed it had exclusive pictures from Harry and Meghan’s ‘secret’ wedding before the public ceremony – which showed the Archbishop of Canterbury dressed as Elvis.

Odd pixelated images show him wearing an Elvis quiff, sideburns and shades while he strummed a red guitar.

They say the pictures were taken by an aide at Kensington Palace, who apparently no longer works for the royals but was strangely the only person the whole world to see the event.

The anonymous source apparently said: ‘It was such a beautiful moment — but also, I think, a little bizarre.

‘Meghan and Harry were wearing normal clothes but standing close together while the Archbishop was in full Church regalia and speaking quietly to them.

‘There was no one else around and it was so quiet. All you could hear at first was a chicken pecking the ground nearby.

‘I crept closer and could hear them exchanging vows like at a wedding ceremony.

‘Meghan pledged to love and honour. And then Harry vowed to obey.’

A bird-themed Love Island is coming

Good Morning Britain viewers weren’t fooled this morning after the show announced a bird-themed Love Island coming to screens – called ‘Dove Island’…

Apparently the new dating show aimed to ‘help pigeons find partners’.

‘Following on from the success of Love Island, ITV has now commissioned a big new budget reality dating show with a twist,’ he told viewers, unveiling the aptly-named Dove Island,’ said Richard Arnold.

‘Apparently it comes after a year of a lockdown which has seen the species become so lonely that telly bosses are now hoping they can help birds of a feather flock together once again, with the show taking place in the Canary Islands, although Turkey was also considered I’m told. 

‘An ITV spokesperson said, “We’ve got a brand new entertainment show in the works. Dove Island flies in the face of conventions using the dating reality and nature format.”’

He struggled to keep a straight face as he added: ‘Certainly one to watch, the exact air date is still yet to be announced, but expect it to fly in sometime later this year.’

The Queen spills her story to Oprah

The Daily Mail suggested on page 3 of its newspaper – under a dubious byline of ‘Olaf Pirlo’ – that the Queen has given her own bombshell interview to Oprah Winfrey.

She apparently vowed to tell ‘one’s truth’ and wanted to set the record straight after Harry and Meghan’s shocking revelations which rocked the Royal Family.

The monarch joked about getting married to Prince Philip in secret three days before their public wedding, and a ‘royal commentator’ said the Queen ‘won’t be pulling any punches’ in her tell-all chat.

Strangely enough though, Buckingham Palace said ‘recollections may vary’ over whether the Queen actually agreed to an interview with Oprah.

Barnard Castle to get statue of Dominic Cummings

According to the Daily Telegraph, to mark its recent success as a dream destination for tourists Barnard Castle is getting a statue… of Dominic Cummings.

The historical monument in the Teesdale beauty spot is set to commemorate the former chief adviser to the prime minister with a life-sized bronze statue of him wearing a trademark hoodie and jeans.

The market town enjoyed a boost in visitor numbers last summer following Mr Cummings’ notorious breaking of lockdown, and shop owners would like to point to the exact spot of the controversy using a suitable marker.

Barnard Castle’s then mayor said last year the scandal had helped put the market town ‘on the map’.

A chicken helped a couple win the lottery

Sounds feasible, right?

Billy and Gertrude Greatfield, from Hull, claim they scooped a £150,000 prize after their pet chicken, called Noodles, successfully picked out the correct EuroMillion lottery numbers.

Gertrude apparently thought there was some kind of ‘divine chicken intervention’ which helped them win.

‘We couldn’t believe it,’ she told Grimsby Live, ‘Noodles was on his favourite seat when he saw me with my lotto form.

‘I was about to pick my numbers when he hopped up and started pecking the paper with his beak.

‘I knew it was some kind of divine chicken intervention so I followed where he was pecking and quickly circled the numbers.

‘When he finished it was exactly five numbers and I put on his age 10, well he looks like he’s 10, as one star and we put it on. We couldn’t believe it when the numbers came up.’

The couple have supposedly bought a new fancy coup for Noodles, and are now dreaming of ways to spend the rest of their winnings.

Harry and Meghan are moving to… Croydon

According to the MyLondon news website, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have made a shocking backtrack on Megxit and announced they are moving back to the UK. And they want to move to… Croydon?

The website claims the Duke and Duchess of Sussex want to live a ‘normal life’ to show they don’t need to live in luxury.

A source close to the couple said: ‘Harry really wants to show everyone that he doesn’t need all the money Netflix are giving them for doing something or other.

‘Although he does hope they’ll let him have a free package in their new flat. He’s going to be living a normal life – so that means trying to scrounge free Netflix any way you can.

‘Meghan seems pretty certain Oprah will still visit all the time – and happily sleep on the sofa as there won’t be nine bedrooms to choose from any longer.’

Apparently Harry fancies being a Croydon tram driver and Meghan is off to teach drama at a local secondary school.

And they’ve stared to find James Corden a little bit annoying.

Bridgerton is returning for season two next week

A student publication revealed season two of the popular programme Bridgerton will air on Netflix next week.

Although creators said filming for the new episodes was due to start this month, the website claimed this is actually for series three.

A spokesperson from Netflix apparently said: ‘We wanted to make this a special surprise for our very special viewers. They deserve it.’

They added this season will cover the story of Anthony Bridgerton, and that Simone Ashley will play Anthony’s love interest (which is actually true).

An insider from the show told The Tab: ‘There’s going to be SO much more in this season. I don’t think I’ve ever seen the Duke fully dressed on set, he is always naked and everyone loves it.

‘Anthony gets his bum out again and we might even throw in some extra surprises. I’m so excited. I haven’t slept since January.’

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

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Piers Morgan has announced that he is returning to Good Morning Britain… although the news came on April Fools’ Day, so we’d take that with a bucket of salt.

Last month, Piers quit GMB after five years of co-hosting with Susanna Reid, after 41,000 people complained to Ofcom about comments he made about Meghan Markle.

But the 56-year-old excited fans when he announced a U-turn, claiming he’d accepted ITV’s offer to come back to the show after the Archbishop of Canterbury confirmed Meghan and Harry were legally married at Windsor Castle.

He tweeted: ‘UPDATE: Following the Archbishop of Canterbury’s confirmation that Meghan Markle was talking a load of old flannel in her Oprah interview, ITV just  offered me my @GMB job back & I’ve decided to accept. 

‘The nation’s prayers have been answered. See you Monday!’

Some of Piers’ followers were delighted with the news, with one person tweeting: ‘Just goes to show who was saying the truth all along. Congrats Piers.’

Another reply read: ‘Brilliant news! What a turnaround.’

Others said that ‘common sense had prevailed’ and excitedly looked forward to Monday’s edition of GMB. 

However, others quickly realised that the news was announced via a tweet on April 1st – aka, the most annoying day of the year – and that it was just a big joke.

One person replied: ‘I see what you did there’, with another fan tweeting: ‘Omg!!  I actually got excited too… Had to be reminded by my partner [it’s] April Fools!!  Damn u Piers!!’

Piers later fessed up to his prank while promoting the paperback edition of his book Wake Up.

The stunt comes after Piers joked that the Archbishop of Canterbury should lose his job for ‘disbelieving’ the Duchess of Sussex.

Justin Welby told the Italian newspaper la Repubblica: ‘If any of you ever talk to a priest, you expect them to keep that talk confidential. It doesn’t matter who I’m talking to. I had a number of private and pastoral meetings with the duke and duchess before the wedding.

‘The legal wedding was on the Saturday. I signed the wedding certificate, which is a legal document, and I would have committed a serious criminal offence if I signed it knowing it was false.’

The comments were in reference to Meghan and Harry telling Oprah Winfrey that they got married three days before their royal wedding at Windsor Castle.

The former Suits star, who is pregnant with her and Harry’s second child, told Oprah: ‘You know, three days before our wedding we got married. No one knows that, but we called the archbishop and we just said, “Look, this thing, this spectacle, is for the world, but we want our union between us.”’

She said the vows they have framed are ‘just the two of us in our backyard with the Archbishop of Canterbury’.

It was thought this was likely an informal exchange of vows, as it lacked witnesses and a registered venue.

ITV confirmed that Piers had ‘decided it was time to leave’ GMB, after he suggested that he didn’t believe Meghan when she said she was refused help from the palace while experiencing suicidal thoughts.

Piers claimed that he was told by ITV’s director of television Kevin Lygo that he would have to apologise over the comments he made about Meghan – which resulted in a former compliant on behalf of the Duchess being lodged with ITV and Ofcom.

Writing in his Mail on Sunday column, he said: ‘Suddenly, I reached a moment of total gut clarity: f*** it, I wasn’t going to apologise for disbelieving Meghan Markle, because the truth is that I don’t believe Meghan Markle.

‘And in a free, democratic society, I should be allowed not to believe someone, and to say that I don’t believe them. That, surely, is the very essence of freedom of speech?

‘If I said I now believed Meghan, I would be lying to the audience, the very thing I’ve accused her of doing.’

It is expected that Susanna Reid will continue on as the main host of GMB with a rotating slate of co-hosts. 

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I was sitting in the passenger seat of our Red Rover 45 as we hurtled up the M40 one Sunday morning in 2008.

My fiancé and I had left our one-bed flat in Hammersmith to visit his mum in Tamworth and I’d just heard on the radio it was April Fool’s Day.

Suddenly an idea came into my head. ‘I’ll text your mum and tell her I’m pregnant!’ I smiled. Gone were the days of the childhood pranks of putting salt in the sugar jar or cling-film over the toilet. 

I just thought that it would be a quick laugh and my partner was listening to the radio as we drove along so he didn’t really react.

The truth was that we had no intention of having a baby yet. As professionals working in the City, we were having far too much fun going out most nights of the week and holidaying with our mates to be planning a family.

So I duly sent the message to his mum and within seconds an excited congratulatory reply shot back. ‘April fool!’ I replied, and we had a little laugh about it.

And that was that – I didn’t ever give it another thought. That is, until 13 years later. 

My fiancé and I got married the following August and then started trying for a baby. Sadly though, we soon discovered it wasn’t going to be easy. 

After months of negative pregnancy tests and endless doctor and hospital appointments, (many of which I left in floods of tears), we decided to try IVF. 

Doctors had discovered through scans and blood tests that I had mild polycystic ovaries but apart from that they didn’t find any specific issues.

While I jumped to assuming the worst, my husband was quick to reassure me that because we were both relatively young in (in IVF terms), fit and healthy, and neither of us had smoked, that we were statistically in with a good chance of conceiving through IVF.

With our first child we were fortunate enough to conceive on the first round on IVF.

When I found out I was pregnant, to say I was relieved and overjoyed would be an understatement. But I couldn’t relax for the whole pregnancy, acutely aware that anything could go wrong at any time.

The birth was a difficult one and I needed two blood transfusions afterwards. Even when I eventually held our precious little seven-and-a-half-pound bundle in my arms in the early hours of that frosty Wednesday morning in December 2012, I couldn’t quite believe he was here.

And when his brother was conceived three years later, miraculously, after two failed IVF attempts and numerous miscarriages, just as we were debating how many more IVF cycles we could afford (both mentally and financially) I fell pregnant naturally. Words can’t express how grateful I felt to have them both.

By this point, I was fully aware of the fragility of conception and pregnancy. Ours hadn’t been an easy journey, but many have been on longer, tougher ones and many more are still on them.

After having my first son I’d become ultra-sensitive to anything pregnancy and baby related. I never dared ask anyone if they wanted a baby for fear they might be desperately trying for one – like I had for so many years. I agonised over announcing our little boy’s arrival on social media for fear of upsetting any friends who were still trying.

And not a day went by when I didn’t appreciate how truly lucky we were to have two healthy children – I’d realised this was definitely not something that can be taken for granted. 

Then, a few days ago I was laying on my bed one evening aimlessly scrolling through social media on my phone when I came across a picture from Parent Bible – a website and Facebook page for parents that offers news and advice.

They had shared an image of a pregnancy test and the words: ‘This is not an April Fool’s Joke! One in four of your friends will have lost a baby and one in six will be suffering with infertility. Pregnancy is not a joke, be more creative this April Fool’s.’

Suddenly, I felt sick to my stomach as I remembered that car journey all those years earlier. It was over a decade ago but it seemed like yesterday – and now I felt so guilty. How had I been so insensitive to joke about it? Had I tempted fate and got my comeuppance?

I was that one in four and that one in six, and I now know from experience how completely and utterly consuming and heartbreaking it can be. 

Fortunately, I’m the mother of two wonderful boys now, aged eight and four, but it seems like just a heartbeat ago that I was hiding my infertility from most of my friends and colleagues, too emotional to talk about it and too scared it would jeopardise my career – I was concerned that if colleagues think you’re trying for a baby they might think that’s your priority and skip over you for promotions.

And while I can’t turn back the clock, this April’s Fool’s Day I certainly won’t be pulling any such flippant and insensitive pranks. And hopefully, after reading about my experience, other people will think twice before doing the same.

More needs to be done to raise awareness of the impact infertility and miscarriage can have on both men and women’s physical and mental health.

It’s an issue that seems more pertinent than ever, with the pandemic having hugely impacted fertility treatment. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HEFA), which regulates Britain’s fertility industry, stopped all new IVF treatment last March shortly after lockdown was announced and asked clinics to stop ongoing treatments in April, too. 

Although most clinics have resumed their services now, I dread to think how many people have missed out as a result of those shut-downs. For instance, many people who were trying later on in life may have had their last chance at conception taken away. 

It comes as no surprise to me that fertility clinics have reported a spike in egg freezing during the pandemic and my heart goes out to everyone who is embarking on a journey to have a child.

It’s not an easy path but hopefully, through greater awareness and freer discussion of the topic, more support will become available.

And this year, after what has undoubtedly been for many people the toughest year in history, it’s more important than ever not to pull pregnancy-related pranks on April Fools. We all need a laugh, but there are plenty of other less personal things to laugh about!

Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing james.besanvalle@metro.co.uk.

Share your views in the comments below.

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