Good News: Fun stories to bring some cheer to your week, from Maya Jama to record-breaking toads

Toadzilla, Mr Jingles, and penguin poo have all been raising smiles this week.
ITV, PA
Kate Rice20 January 2023

We’re back! In a week filled with strike action, resignations, and no seatbelts, sometimes there’s nothing better than taking a look at all the news stories from the past seven days that put a smile on our faces.

This week was filled with plenty of animal-related adventures, so for anyone who is partial to a furry friend (or slimy, in some cases), this is the place for you.

The ‘Pimlicat’ finds his fur-ever home

Handout
Mr Jingles has been dubbed ‘Pimlicat’ after being rescued from Pimlico station

The Pimlicat – formally referred to as Mr Jingles – has had enough adventures to last him a lifetime.

After being originally rescued from Dubai, Mr Jingles eventually ran away and spent between 10 to 14 days inside a Victoria Line tunnel.

But fret not, as he was eventually lured out of his underground pit stop by Pimlico station manager David Nobbs, who tempted him into a cat box with the scent of “smelly fish”.

Mr Jingles has now settled down for a life in Sussex, where he lives with a couple and their three children.

Love Island is back

All right, all right – this may not be good news for everyone. If you’re a self-professed reality TV hater, scroll now. For the rest of us, let’s indulge in the return of Iain Stirling’s corny one-liners and10 new hopefuls looking for love.

But not only are we treated to a fresh litter of islanders, this year we also have a brand-new host, Maya Jama.

The style evolution of Maya Jama

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It’s five days in and feathers are already being ruffled – two bombshells are pushing the villa tensions sky-high. On top of that, the reality show played a song by Stormzy that’s rumoured to be about none other than Jama herself.

The reign of Toadzilla

‘Like a football with legs’
Handout

For those not absolutely horrified by the thought of a freakishly large amphibian roaming this Earth (much larger than nature’s laws should allow), strap in for a real treat.

A giant toad has been discovered in Queensland, Australia, and has been branded the not-so-affectionate name ‘Toadzilla’.

He weighed in at a whopping 2.7kg, six times larger than the average toad and breaking the previous record of 2.65kg held by a Swedish pet.

The park rangers in Conway National Park were absolutely gobsmacked by the “monster” toad, and went as far to say it looked “almost like a football with legs”. Ouch.

Dal y Melt

Netflix has revealed plans to release the first-ever Welsh-language TV show on the platform.

The streaming platform has bought the rights to Dal y Melt – which translates as Catch The Lightning in English – based on a gritty crime thriller written by Iwan ‘Iwcs’ Roberts.

Netflix’s director of public policy, Benjamin King, says this release will “play a helpful role in complementing the intent to promote and preserve the Welsh language”.

Adult emperor penguins on the ice
P Bucktrout / BAS / PA

This newly discovered colony has brought the total number of known emperor penguin breeding sites around the coast of Antarctica to 66.

The site itself was identified by searching for penguin poo (guano) stains with satellite-mapping technology and it’s been established as having around 500 birds.

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