April 1 has come around again, forcing us to triple check each story to make sure it's not a load of codswallop.

But there are some stories all year round that are so outlandish and/or humongous that we find ourselves double checking the calendar. Stories where if they had occurred on April 1, we'd probably think: "Aah, good one".

Here are a collection of 10 such stories over the past 12 months that we didn't see coming.

1. Twin Peaks to return for a new series


The offbeat cult series concluded after two seasons and a movie in 1992, and since then fans have long speculated whether a follow-up would ever occur.

After months of rumours that we weren't taking too seriously, Showtime announced plans for a new series with creators David Lynch and Mark Frost. It just all seemed too good to be true, especially with Lynch returning as director. It remains to be seen if it actually comes to fruition in 2016, as Lynch recently said he was "not sure" if it was happening.

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2. James Corden lands the Late Late Show gig

While James Corden is doing a grand job so far on the CBS late night talk show, his name seemed like a completely random one when rumours first emerged last year.

The Gavin & Stacey star may have hosted the Brit Awards and League of Their Own, but it was quite a step up considering he hadn't really hosted a similar show before, and that he had many other film and theatre projects going on. We may have been a bit worried for him at first, but thus far he has proven exactly why he was chosen for the job.

3. Germany 7 Brazil 1


We know this is a very sporty story for an entertainment news website, but it was so big we just had to include it. I was going into a Tube station during halftime when I spotted a sign that read "Brazil 0 Germany 5, we're not joking!". I still didn't believe it.

By the time I was home, it was 6-0 and eventually 7-1. It was one of those moments that transcended sport and was one of the most-tweeted about events of the year. Plus, it made our 4-1 defeat to Germany four years previously seem not so bad.

4. Robin Thicke releases an album called Paula


Long before he lost a high-profile lawsuit against Marvin Gaye's family, 'Blurred Lines' singer Robin Thicke went through a very public breakup withdrawal.

Soon after separating from long-time wife Paula Patton, Thicke thought the best way to win her back was to release an album of 'take me back' songs, all under the album title of simply Paula. Suffice to say, it hasn't won her back quite yet. Imagine if Coldplay released an album called Gwyneth.

5. Harper Lee to release a To Kill a Mockingbird sequel


There aren't many comebacks that can better this one. Last year, Harper Lee announced plans to release only her second book, and a follow-up to the classic To Kill a Mockingbird over 50 years ago.

The 88-year-old stunned everyone with the announcement of Go Set a Watchman, and she later denied suggestions that she was pressured into signing a deal for its release.

6. Dion Dublin signs up for Homes Under the Hammer


We definitely could never have come up with this one. Former Manchester United and Aston Villa striker Dion Dublin surprised us all when he was unveiled as the daytime show's latest co-host.

Dublin has been passionate about property for many years, and he may well prove to be the next big daytime TV star. We now won't be too shocked if Paul Scholes joins Bargain Hunt and Patrick Berger replaces Judge Rinder.

7. Hello Kitty is not a cat


The internet didn't know what to do with itself when Japanese creator Sanrio appeared to suggest that the iconic character Hello Kitty is not actually a cat, but a British schoolgirl.

It seemed like a bizarre joke or a PR stunt, and maybe it was, as they later backtracked by saying that it is a personification of a cat. In other words, Hello Kitty is not a cat, not a human, but both. We think?

8. Justin Bieber becomes a Calvin Klein model


The young singer added another string to his bow last year when he became a surprise Calvin Klein underwear model, following the likes of Mark Wahlberg and Jamie Dornan.

The appointment seemed a bit sudden and random at the time, especially as it was alleged that his abs may have been altered in post-production. It was made even more fascinating that he posed with David Walliams's then-misses Lara Stone.

9. Sam Strike is Leatherface


It was amazing enough that EastEnders star Ben Hardy managed to land a role in the next X-Men movie, but this was an even bigger WTF moment.

Sam Strike - who had departed the BBC One soap several months before - had teased that he had landed a big film role, and to be honest we weren't convinced. However, soon after he was announced to be playing Leatherface in an upcoming Texas Chainsaw Massacre prequel. We're not doubting Strike's acting abilities at all, but you have to admit that this is one of the most surprising casting leaps in a long time.

10. All of the news last week


We're not sure why, but for some reason the entertainment gods decided to unleash some of the year's biggest announcements over the space of three or four days. Any of which could have been considered a crazy April Fool's gag if it occurred today.

Jeremy Clarkson left Top Gear, Zayn Malik left One Direction, Dermot O'Leary left The X Factor and Downton Abbey's end was confirmed by ITV, in a seemingly neverending list of farewells. That's not even including the news that BBC Radio 1's Chart Show would move from Sundays to Fridays. Plus, the Dion Dublin news seen above also happened last week, and that was arguably the biggest of the lot!