In one of the greatest food-related hoaxes of all time, the BBC once convinced millions of viewers that spaghetti grew on trees. On April 1, 1957, the BBC aired a short segment on its “Panorama” documentary program discussing the bumper spaghetti crop in Lake Lugano, Switzerland. Thanks to a mild winter and the decline of spaghetti weevils, the Swiss spaghetti farmers were apparently enjoying a particularly bountiful harvest season. The BBC went on to discuss the saucy details of spaghetti farming, answering important questions such as why all the noodles were a consistent length (answer: years of careful cultivation). The appetizing story was accompanied by footage of pasta-laden spaghetti trees, complete with a charming family of Swiss spaghetti farmers lovingly plucking the noodles, and enjoying a traditional harvest feast.
The spoof segment, which aired on April Fools’ Day, was perhaps a bit too convincing. Many Brits were thoroughly persuaded that spaghetti grew on trees, and some were quite disappointed to learn they couldn’t grow their own pasta at home. The BBC received hundreds of calls from confused and incredulous viewers asking for further information, many looking to resolve heated debates over whether the piece was a joke. Not everyone was so amused -– the network received plenty of complaints and criticism for deceiving viewers. But producer David Wheeler did not regret the prank. Rather, he said it was important to teach people that they couldn’t believe everything they saw on TV.
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Why The Spaghetti-Tree Hoax Worked (And Why It Wouldn’t Today)
Schoolchildren re-enacting the spaghetti-tree hoax – Handout/Getty Images
It might seem hard to believe that the BBC could convince a significant portion of its viewers that spaghetti grew on trees. However, the spaghetti-tree hoax worked for several key reasons. Today, Italian food (or at least the British-ized version of it) is one of the most beloved cuisines in the United Kingdom. But in the 1950s, pasta and pizza weren’t quite so popular -– this was long before the days of spag bol, as the Brits call spaghetti bolognese. As such, many had yet to taste spaghetti, or had only consumed the delicious Italian noodle in a subpar canned form of the food. Another key factor was that in 1957, people could not simply use their favorite search engine to get to the bottom of things.
However, the hoax’s success can’t only be credited to the historical context. It was narrated by veteran BBC announcer Richard Dimbleby, famous for his somber World War II broadcasts. Dimbleby’s iconic voice added credibility to the piece, as did genius throwaway lines like: “Many of you, I’m sure, will have seen photos of the vast spaghetti plantations in the Po Valley” (via the BBC). More than half a century later, it remains one of the most renowned food-related April Fools’ jokes of history. It even inspired an affectionate tribute by lifestyle maven and documentary star, Martha Stewart. Although the spaghetti-tree hoax would be pretty much im-pasta-ble to pull off in today’s smartphone-filled, Italian food-obsessed world, the legacy of this saucy prank lives on.
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