Benny Hill enjoys a revival in Spain
And other stories from the stranger side of life

The late Benny Hill is having a revival in Spain, featuring in the glossy Spanish men’s magazine Icon, a supplement of El Pais. The politically incorrect British comedian was the subject of a 2,000-word feature in the trendy mag. “Spaniards, we are a little strange sometimes,” it said. “There are international cultural phenomena, like A-ha, that for some reason are big in Spain. And for some reason, Benny Hill is big in Spain.” The Benny Hill Show was a popular show in Spain in the 1980s and 1990s and was broadcast at primetime on the main state channel.
Pigs are ‘man’s best friend’
Man’s best friend may not be the dog but the pig, said The Times. Scientists found that pigs show just as much affection for their owners but dogs “still have the edge thanks to superior communication skills”, said the paper. “We humans use the phrase ‘pig ignorant’ to describe “an extreme level of stupidity”, said the paper, “but this is an example of anti-porcine prejudice against a surprisingly brainy beast”.
Four-year-old joins Mensa
A boy who taught himself to read as a toddler has been accepted as the UK’s youngest member of Mensa, reported the BBC. Teddy Hobbs, four, from Portishead in Somerset, can count to 100 in six non-native languages, including Mandarin. He taught himself to read while playing on his tablet at the age of two. His mother, Beth, said they initially thought he was just making sounds while playing on his tablet, before they realised he was actually sounding out numerals in the Chinese language.
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