The Infamous Spaghetti Tree Hoax

In 1957, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) aired a hilarious food story that has since become one of the most famous television hoaxes of all time. On April 1st of that year, the BBC’s news show, Panorama, featured a special report on the spaghetti harvest in Switzerland. Little did the audience know, they were in for a delightful prank.

The three-minute segment, narrated by respected broadcaster Richard Dimbleby, showed a family from the Swiss town of Ticino harvesting spaghetti from their “spaghetti tree.” The footage featured women carefully plucking strands of spaghetti from tree branches and laying them out to dry in the sun.

Dimbleby provided a convincing explanation for the bountiful spaghetti harvest, attributing it to a mild winter and the elimination of the dreaded “spaghetti weevil.” The combination of the serious tone, the trustworthy narrator, and the seemingly genuine footage duped many viewers into believing that spaghetti indeed grew on trees.

Following the broadcast, the BBC received a flood of calls from curious viewers, eager to learn more about the spaghetti tree and how they could grow their own. In true April Fool’s spirit, the BBC responded to the inquiries with a cheeky suggestion: “Place a sprig of spaghetti in a tin of tomato sauce and hope for the best.”

The spaghetti tree hoax is a testament to the power of television and the gullibility of audiences, even in the early days of the medium. To this day, the prank remains a classic example of British humor and a reminder to take what we see on television with a grain of salt – or in this case, a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.