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April Fool's anthem
plan proves a winner
BELIEVE it or not, but an April Fool's prank which hit the national headlines has now come true.
BELIEVE it or not, but an April Fool's prank which hit the national headlines has now come true.Professor Brian Ford, who lives in Eastrea, was behind a joke to replace God Save the Queen with a Euro anthem, which featured on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
After months of protests at the station losing its UK Theme – a medley of British tunes which woke up listeners for more than 30 years – it reported that a specially-composed Euro Theme was to replace it.
It included Beethoven’s Ode to Joy, as well as French accordion music and the theme tune from the Dutch-based 1970s detective drama Van Der Valk.
Professor Ford played the part of Dr Dieter Zimmerman, and was recorded promoting the new anthem, as well as organising for the Peterborough King’s School choir to sing it in style.
And this week, Professor Ford is now amused, and slightly baffled, to learn that the EU has just resolved to use the Ode To Joy at official occasions.
Professor Ford said: “Over the years, I’ve done so many April Fool gags in the press, on radio or on the TV.
“This is the very first one that has actually come to pass.
“Everyone’s delighted, and there is a strong sense of deja vu.”
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Weather for Peterborough
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: East
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