There are a ton of reasons why we love the United Kingdom—from its gorgeous nature and culture to its wide-ranging cuisine and renowned literature. But something that keeps us coming back is our love for the British press with all of its ups, downs, and unique quirks. There’s honestly hardly anything better than making a big cup of tea and opening up the serious Sunday papers or going for a cheeky scroll through the digital tabloids. It’s entertaining. It’s fun. It’s off the hook!
Now that’s where the ‘Mental UK Headlines’ Twitter page comes in. A social media project that unites nearly 100k followers, the account features some of the funniest, most bizarre, and downright ludicrous news stories and headlines found in the British press. Both in the tabloids and in the more serious (digital) papers. And today we’re featuring some of their very best finds to bring a smile to your face. Just because the press isn't yellow doesn't mean it's not immune to some truly bizarre headlines.
Go on, grab yourself some biscuits and enjoy a good laugh. Don’t forget to upvote the pics that you enjoyed the most, send a few your friends’ way, and if you really love what you’re seeing, give ‘Mental UK Headlines’ a follow for some more top-tier humor.
Bored Panda got in touch with author, comedy writer, journalist, and all-around talented creative Ariane Sherine from the UK. We had a chat about tabloids, catchy headlines, and why the Brits love the sensationalist press so much. Read on for our full interview with her!
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Journalist and comedy expert Ariane, from London, shared her thoughts about the tabloids (or the ‘red tops’ as the Brits call them) with Bored Panda.
“I think the British press, particularly the sensationalist yellow press uses a lot more wordplay, humor, and puns in headlines—and also employs shock to grab the reader,” Ariane told us.
“You’ve also got our tabloid the Daily Sport, which I wouldn’t even class as a newspaper as it’s mostly made up for entertainment and titillation!”
We were curious to get Ariane’s take on why the British enjoy tabloids so much, whether it’s all for the sake of being entertained or if they actually believe the biased news printed there.
“I definitely think people read the Sport purely for cheeky entertainment and to look at scantily clad women, as it’s only meant for that,” the journalism expert told us.
“But a lot of people get all their news from the Sun or Star, which is a bit worrying. They definitely believe everything they read in those papers—and they shouldn’t!” she warned.
Meanwhile, when it comes to writing striking headlines, Ariane said that a lot depends on the topic in question. If you care about the issues on a personal level, you’re already more likely to read the story.
She shared some of the things that journalists ought to look at when writing headlines: “What’s the human interest angle? What would grab my attention? You have to distill the story into its essence in one sentence. What makes it entertaining?”
The ‘Mental UK Headlines’ project is fairly fresh. The account was started up on Twitter almost exactly a year ago, in April 2021. In that time, they’ve gotten the love and attention of 98.2k followers.
The account shows us a few things. First of all, how much a good headline can boost our mood for the next few hours (who doesn’t love a hearty chuckle?). Secondly, there are some truly weird events going on in the world. And lastly, the British yellow press is willing to write about pretty much anything and everything for the sake of a ‘story.’ Whether that restores or destroys your faith in humanity depends on your perspective.
During a previous interview, London-based comedy writer Ariane told Bored Panda that humor plays a huge role in British culture.
“I think it is inherently witty and quirky but coupled with a huge dose of irony and self-consciousness,” she shared her thoughts about British wit with us.
“[British humor is] sarcastic, petty, ridiculous, embarrassed, self-conscious, and underpinned with the knowledge and awareness of how silly Brits are,” the comedy expert explained to Bored Panda how we can define this unique sense of humor.
They've not posted this one well, but basically, someone threatened to call social services because of her eyebrows.
Her eyebrows are ridiculous but then so is threatening to call social services because of them.
I admit it makes me question her judgment, but certainly not social services for just that.
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She is probably a great mom, but those eyebrows are pretty gastly, not to mention the lips. Still, if you call CPS it better had to do with the kids, not her eyebrows.
Someone like this should not be reproducing. I'm with whomever called.
I'd like to call into question her partner(s) if we're going that route. I get the whole 2 at 10 and 10 at 2 bit, but...get some standards and condoms ffs.
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They're ugly as all get out, but 1) they're hers not yours, and 2) how exactly is this supposed to hinder her child rearing skills?
When you look good, you feel good & act good. When you look deranged & don't fit in, you're probably not happy or perhaps act impersonally, have little joy & don't give a damn about anything or what anybody thinks. In other words, no friends. This kind of outlandishness breeds a sad life. An appearance that'll never catch on as working women/moms don't have time to paint their faces [perhaps a bit of mascara brush]. Soap, lather, repeat.
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The eyebrows..the lip...the orange face compared to the white neck...I'm wheezing. Someone give her some basic makeup lessons please.
Mabe she's Trump's sister...orange face. [Google's listing say his eyes are dark gray...With black pupils, little wonder he looks like the devil. Already acts evil. What's with his orange painted face (sometimes he misses spots on his neck)]?
Load More Replies... So you do this on purpose? Yes. Well then you are clearly unstable. No, I am fine. ... Is someone forcibly making you do this? No, I like it. That can't be right... Are you sure you are okay?
This turned out to be fake. I seen her on tiktok and she went into a shop and the woman basically laughed at her and asked what she had done, so she was obviously just doing it for laughs or attention.
Ah, glad she's got a good sense of humor and can laugh at herself!
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Yeah well... if I saw that with children I would have probably called Social Services. It's not just the eyebrows. Some people should not have children,
Well bless her, anyone who thinks those are eyebrows has a screw loose. Whilst there's no need for Social Services, I feel incredibly sorry for her poor kids 😔
Some day she will run into a cranky Walter White type and he will say F**k you and your eyebrows
It looks to me like she just likes sharpies a lil too much
With those brows and a tattoo of the element "Air", I bet this woman is an Aquarius.
First one I'd call is the person who convinced her this was the "go to look" all us women were waiting for. Have the just paved look done while your street gets fixed.
she looks like a juggalo who either can't commit or is in the processes of conversion...
Juggalos & Juggalettes are hideous, talent-free nobodys. Perhaps learn skills to become accountants or UPS deliverers? At least you'd be contributing to society.
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She is dividing up her face. Some say the best way to disguise a huge forehead is with bangs, but didn’t the eyebrows distract you from that? It’s called illusion 🙄. I would counter with a third option of drawing in a false hairline about two inches below the real one.
Whole style makes me sus of her parental capacity. Or maybe its a joke that went off the edge?
If the baby loves her then mind your own business and keep your opinion to yourself!
Someone definitely should call social services. She doesn't look very social.
OMG! That’s hair? I thought it was a head cover! The internet brings out the worst in some mentally unwell people and exhibitionists/narcissists!
So what? Britons will admit Camilla's hats and not this girl's brows?
Fix your priorities. Critical think your comparisons. A face is not a hat. Or get a lobotomy 'cuz you don't know Camilla but seem jealous of the future queen.
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She sounds so much like Adele when she speaks. The trolls on her TikTok should go away and leave her be. Proper eyebrows don't make a mum.
They were HIS brows~~HAIR. Not fake, not paint. You think he should've tweezed them? Why do women use tweezers? How awful & dopey [& time-gulping].
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I don’t particularly care for the eyebrows, but it has nothing to do with whether or not she’s a good mother.
How would you know? She's an extremist about her appearance...probably other aspects of her character/personality are extreme. Look at 72yo David Duke & 76yo Trump~~both bleach their hair in 2022. D'ya know rational/balanced guys who bleach their hair in their 70s? Yikes.
Load More Replies... Ok but can you imagine how big the forehead is without the eyebrows...
So, cut some bangs & remove the silly scarf [religion should stay out of the wardrobe biz]. Jay Leno lived with his long chin forever 'tho Carol Burnett got a chin implant [genioplasty]~~to create a chin she always wanted. Making eyebrows thicker doesn't shorten forehead.
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I expect that social services would have been glad of actually having something to do. Everyone knows how underemployed social workers are.
“When people think of us, they think of the Royal Family, iconic images like London buses and phone boxes, afternoon tea, period dramas, and posh people—like Hugh Grant in Richard Curtis films!” Ariane said how the world tends to think of the British.
Som many people are left "crying and shaking", traumatized, or "devastated" these days.
She'd be a lot more recognizable if both eyes were on the same side of her nose.
“They see us as charming and antiquated and think we're adorable. Spoiler: we're not really like this! Which they'll find out if they ever visit Britain, but I guess most people never do, so we remain cute and posh in their imaginations,” the comedy writer quipped.
Meanwhile, Lisa McLendon, the William Allen White Professor of Journalism and Mass Communications and the coordinator of the Bremner Editing Center at the University of Kansas, was kind enough to share her insights about text and how to leave an immediate impact on the audience with us during an earlier interview.
The professor said that when you have to make an immediate impression on someone, like with a sign, it’s best to focus on clarity and brevity. That’s especially important in our world where there’s a seemingly endless stream of information and shortening attention spans.
"Clarity and brevity are essential. You only have a second or two to get your message across, so you want people to understand quickly with zero confusion," she told Bored Panda.
What’s more, journalism and editing expert Lisa stressed the necessity to proofread all of your work. And then getting someone else to proofread it again. It’s especially useful when you’re using text in ways that can’t be easily and cheaply edited later (like it would be online).
Yeah, we all make mistakes - sure, but you need to take responsibility for your actions. Saying "everyone does it" isn't really taking responsibility.
-"What is the purpose of your visit?" - "Well actually I'm a terrorist and I will be performing terrorist acts throughout the country" - "OK sir, enjoy your stay"
She also stressed that it’s important to choose the right font, with the audience in mind. It should be clear. It should be readable. It shouldn’t have your readers second-guessing what they’re looking at.
I saw this apparently it was found safely outside in a hedge. Apparently the staff were very worried about it as nature abhors a vacuum. 😂
It should be mentioned that this little girl has Autism and struggles a lot with selective eating, which in some cases can be so severe that they would rather starve than eat something that isn't familiar or suitable for their selective tastes/texture etc.
Note: this post originally had 70 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.
You know if the Darwin awards were a real thing some of these people would have won too many times to be allowed to compete again.
Many of these could jut have easily been in Florida. The most bat shiit nuts state in the Union.
Texas keeps trying its hardest, but just can't knock The Sunshine State out of 1st place.
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https://metro.co.uk/2022/02/10/man-reunited-with-false-teeth-after-vomiting-them-into-bin-decade-ago-16083867/ How, oh how, did they miss this one?
I'm just snickering my ass off at these comments. Thanks BP community. You have made my day!
Florida man might have a case for trademark infringement. He is, after all, known for these exact type of antics. But I personally like to see the crazy spread around.
Why do you have a bored panda account if you don't like it tho? Lol
Load More Replies... There are dozens of those on this site already, no need to imagine.
Load More Replies... You know if the Darwin awards were a real thing some of these people would have won too many times to be allowed to compete again.
Many of these could jut have easily been in Florida. The most bat shiit nuts state in the Union.
Texas keeps trying its hardest, but just can't knock The Sunshine State out of 1st place.
Load More Replies... https://metro.co.uk/2022/02/10/man-reunited-with-false-teeth-after-vomiting-them-into-bin-decade-ago-16083867/ How, oh how, did they miss this one?
I'm just snickering my ass off at these comments. Thanks BP community. You have made my day!
Florida man might have a case for trademark infringement. He is, after all, known for these exact type of antics. But I personally like to see the crazy spread around.
Why do you have a bored panda account if you don't like it tho? Lol
Load More Replies... There are dozens of those on this site already, no need to imagine.
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