This week's UK news: 25 October 2013
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25 October 2013


Baking programme dominates TV

The Great British Bake Off is a competition shown on public service TV which has become one of the most talked-about shows on TV. The show is filmed in a huge tent in the countryside, equipped with kitchen equipment for each contestant. There are two judges, Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry, and comedians Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc present the show (with awful jokes) and chat to the nervous contestants.
Each week the contestants have to bake three items, testing both their technical skills and their creativity.
This series has attracted almost 8 million viewers, so many that it will move to the main public service channel next summer. People have discussed this year's show a lot on social media and in the newspapers, possibly because of the characters who ended up in the final four, particularly a 21-year-old student who was never happy with anything she baked.


Children taught to play old game

Conkers are shiny brown nuts which look like chestnuts but are not edible. They are available in huge quantities in autumn. Traditionally, children pierced holes on conkers, hung them on strings, and played a game where players would use their conker to hit another one, trying to destroy it. The winner was the conker which survived.
Children used to try all sorts of tricks to make their conkers strong, including baking them and soaking in vinegar. In recent years playing conkers has been banned at lots of schools because of fears that it might be dangerous.
Now the headteacher of a primary school in Cambridgeshire has got his pupils playing the game again. He said it was a good game to play and helped children's hand skills and their maths.


British engineers create silent hairdryer

The British company Dyson invented the bagless vacuum cleaner, the bladeless fan, and reinvented hand dryers. Now it looks as if another invention may be coming: the silent hair dryer.
The company isn't saying anything, but patent applications have been found for "an hand held blower with an insulating chamber" Dyson is one of the UK's biggest engineering firms.


Prince George seen in public for the second time

It was Prince George's christening this week, and most of the papers were keen to publish photos of the baby, who has not been seen in public since he was a day old.
One photo which has attracted lots of attention was of the Queen with the three next kings: her son (The Prince of Wales), her grandson (The Duke of Cambridge) and her great-grandson (Prince George). The only time this happened before was when Queen Victoria, who also had a very long life, was photographed with her three heirs.
Some newspapers covered the christening to an astonishing extent, giving over up to 15 pages to the private event. One newspaper went the other way and wrote just 15 pages.

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