We fear you were gagged: All the hilarious ways we tricked you on April Fool’s Day 2026

I’m sorry to confirm that The Tab has been a little naughty in 2026, fooling you with a range of April Fool’s Day articles

We love a good-natured prank here at The Tab, and in a time-honoured tradition, we have once again gone hard on completely fabricated stories. From Bonnie Blue to Love Island, The Traitors to MAFS Australia, we took our favourite subjects and gave them an April Fool’s Day twist. Our local University teams got in on the gag, too, fooling the nation on subjects like mandatory uniforms, free Uber rides, and Harry Styles’ guest lecture. Don’t lie, you totally fell for them.

I won’t leave you hanging: Here are all the ways The Tab had you fooled in 2026.

The Tab National

Credit: Bonnie Blue

On Facebook, you might have spied that Bonnie Blue released footage of her sleeping with 10,000 men. Though completely believable from the OnlyFans stunt queen herself, it was actually a bald-faced lie.

That being said, watch her do exactly that next. We will be demanding royalties.

The Holy Church of Netflix

Though the entire country, nay, the entire world rejoiced at the news of a secret Stranger Things finale, it’s sadly not the case. Unfortunately, that was the real ending.

The Holy Church of Love Island

April Fool’s Day 2026 got a little bit brighter when we announced that an over-30s edition would replace Love Island All Stars. Though putting an end to f*ckboys and would-be influencers is a grand concept, ITV sadly doesn’t share The Tab’s common sense.

All Stars is going nowhere… for now.

The Holy Church of MAFS

After months of waiting for MAFS Australia to air in the UK, people were raging on Facebook at the concept of it airing at 12:35 am.

A diamond in the rough, Rebecca clocked the tea in the comments: “This has to be an April Fool’s joke?”

The Holy Church of The Traitors

Some April Fool’s Day pranks are so good, you wish they were real. Case in point: Maura Higgins as the new host of The Traitors. Following her domination of Celebrity Traitors in the US, it was completely believable that the Irish icon was being promoted to top dog.

It wasn’t real, but it should be.

Belfast

Over at Queen’s University Belfast, a genius concept was born: Hosting exams inside the popular Belfast nightlife venue, The Limelight, to boost attendance. Though not actually real, and it would undoubtedly spark issues, the vibes would be immaculate.

Birmingham

Credit: Instagram

The bin strikes in Birmingham are practically as famous as the Bullring now, which is why Birmingham Uni claimed that students were being forced into mandatory litter-picking sessions.

Though obviously a prank for April Fool’s Day 2026, it’s not a bad idea.

Bournemouth

According to a report in the Bournemouth Tab, students deemed “too sandy” were going to be forced to cough up a fine of £30. It’s a little like finding a fork in the kitchen, but don’t panic, it was complete bullsh*t.

Bristol

A time-honoured April Fool’s Day prank for The Tab, Bristol University students were to wear a new mandatory uniform. They were even getting a Bristol-themed tie with iconic landmarks; very Harry Potter if you ask me.

No ties were harmed in the making of this gag.

Oxford Brookes

Getting into uni is exhausting enough, but according to a leaked email, Oxford Brookes applicants would be required to sit a rowing exam before entry. Some students were thrilled, but others were raging.

I’m out of breath just reading the lies.

Cambridge

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For a moment, it looked like Cambridge University was going back in time with a mandate to increase the number of privately educated applicants. King Charles was probs thrilled at the idea, as was fabricated mum Arabella Perton-Walby, mother of three-year-old Archibald Perton-Walby.

Don’t fret: If you have a normal name and no bourgeoisie-induced superiority complex, you can still get into Cambridge.

Cardiff

Though missing your 9 am is a character-building experience for any student, we claimed that Cardiff University was putting a stop to it. They were to impose £100 fines for missing those lectures, but we lied.

Now, go back to sleep.

Coventry

In a bid to bring the community closer together, Coventry University announced plans to introduce mandatory small talk at the start of seminars. Extroverts were excited to talk about themselves, and we got news of introverts fleeing the country.

It was a little fib, to be completely honest, so Coventry students can go back to being grumpy in morning lectures.

Durham

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Durham students were to cosplay as Oxford students after the university revealed a scheme to implement “Sub fusc” gowns during exams. The leaked email, seen exclusively by The Durham Tab, argued that the “strict dress code” aimed to “establish a new and inspiring tradition.”

Edinburgh

Edinburgh has been a Russell Group uni since 1994, but a report in The Tab claimed that it had been kicked from the list by Edinburgh Napier University.

An inside source we totally made up told The Edinburgh Tab: “We believe that student culture has shifted in ways that don’t align with Russell Group expectations. There’s been a noticeable move towards prioritising social activities over academic output.”

Exeter

Apparently, 92 per cent of mullet owners cause disturbances in everyday situations. Add being a rugby player into the mix, and you’ve essentially got a walking, talking nightmare. Naturally, the uni was forced to ban them on rugby players.

Thankfully, mullet wearers across Exeter are still free to sport what is arguably the biggest red-flag haircut in the world.

Glasgow

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Glasgow students were thrilled this morning when they read that The Traitors was being filmed at their university. Claudia Winkleman was even spotted filming with the rector… NOT!

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King’s College London

In a sentence that is not easy to get out of your mouth: King’s College London (KCL) was to be renamed Queen’s College London to separate itself from King’s College Cambridge. Blah.

Though obviously a lie, I’m going to throw another suggestion into the mix: Princess Diana’s College London.

Lancaster University

The Wars of the Roses almost kicked off again this morning when Lancaster announced a blanket ban on people from Yorkshire.

Fran Boleyn, a current history professor at Lancaster, argued: “Nothing has changed since the famous battle. York is still weak and we cannot allow loser-mentality in our fine institution.”

Get ’em, Fran.

Leeds

After graduating from Leeds back in 2011, Jamie Laing was said to be giving back to the people by handing out Candy Kittens at graduation.

Flood him with enough thank-you messages, and he might do just that!

Lincoln

Though the world would undoubtedly be a better place if this were true, Lincoln SU is not enforcing a strict duck costume policy at Quack nights.

Damn, I’ve just purchased my mallard costume.

Liverpool

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You could almost feel introvert anxiety building when Liverpool University said that speaking in seminars would be mandatory. “No exceptions,” it was claimed.

Don’t fear, you can all breathe a sigh of relief as you scroll through Vinted at the back.

LSE

The London School of Economics mandated summer internships for second-year students, or risk expulsion. Students and staff were divided on the issue, but it turned out to be a prank for April Fool’s Day 2026.

Gotcha!

Manchester

Considering most of the country was unable to secure Harry Styles tickets, people were no doubt thrilled at the idea of him doing a guest lecture at the University of Manchester. It was in sports and exercise after running marathons, but I guess he could have squeezed in a performance between stretching and picking your marathon pseudonym?

Sadly, Harry is busy picking out his next sequin jumpsuit.

Newcastle

If we lived in Westeros, Newcastle would be the cold, cold North, and if there’s one thing we learned from Game of Thrones, it’s that winter is coming.

To combat that, the university was said to be introducing policies to cancel lectures in the event of bad weather. That was a prank, unfortunately, so you’ll have to suffer in silence.

Nottingham

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Nottingham boasts two higher education institutions: The University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University. We claimed that the latter was to absorb the former in the hopes of creating a “better student environment.”

Oxford

Controversial yet somewhat believable, Oxford University was planning to ban the term “Oxbridge” because of elitist connotations.

“My family have been attending Oxford and Cambridge for generations. The term Oxbridge may be a symbol of status and privilege but we refuse to be embarrassed of our history,” one snob, Archibald Guggenheim, said.

Sheffield

In a bid to “minimise disruption to learning”, Sheffield was drawing inspiration from secondary schools with seating plans. Images of sitting next to your opp quickly emerged in the minds of Sheffield students.

You get the gist by now, but it was an April Fool’s Day prank for 2026.

Southampton

Nope, sadly, Southampton students won’t be picking up free Snus from their student union. What’s next? A hookah lounge in seminars?

St Andrews

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The student team at St Andrews completely lied about compulsory office wear in the library, but it’s not a bad idea. The word office is subjective enough, so catch me in economics wearing a dress made from staples.

Lady Gaga, eat your heart out.

Sussex

Now this is a joke I can get behind: Brighton and Hove City Council handing out compensation to those affected by the plight of seagulls.

It might not be real, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a cracking idea.

UEA

For April Fool’s Day 2026, the University of East Anglia team claimed that Uber was offering free rides to students to “venture beyond campus.”

Warwick

In another false report, it was claimed that the University of Warwick and Coventry University were merging to become a “super university.” And no, that’s not a university for superheroes, unfortunately.

York

Credit: Instagram

As Lancaster was harping on a centuries-old beef, York was preparing to replace graduation caps with long boi hats designed by Greg James.

It might have been a prank, but Long Boi deserves all of the accolades.

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Featured image credit: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock