The Simpsons Fans Think Show ‘Predicted’ Current Fuel Shortage In 2010

A brilliant clip of Homer Simpson filling his car boot with petrol has gone viral on social media, and fans of the show reckon this was another one of the show's predictions.

The footage is from a 2010 episode titled 'Lisa Simpson, This Isn't Your Life', where Homer is purchasing 1,000 gallons of fuel in order to win a toy for his baby daughter Maggie, because she's upset about missing one of her collectible Happy Little Elves.

One user wrote on Twitter: "Plot twist: the Simpsons are ruling the world under cover."

Another user added: "The Simpsons have been so right about so much, it's eerie!"

While a third user commented: "They know everything."

Creator Matt Groening said: "We take the most unlikely, ridiculous, stupid, impossible, never-will-happen joke, and then it turns out that our imaginations aren't that imaginative.

Writer and producer Al Jean added: "I think that if you have a bunch of people who are smart, who are trying to predict the future, if you throw enough darts, enough darts hit the dartboard.

"And, most of the things, I can just say - Trump actually, for example - was talking about running for president in 1999.

"He wasn't the most ridiculous celebrity to forecast as a president, and we've had a few things like that.

"Like, Lady Gaga, people said 'oh you predicted her Super Bowl show' - well, that's because we copied her show for our show and then she did that show.

"So, it's sort of like, she stole our show that stole her show, you know, that's how it happens."

This comes after the UK government put the Army on standby yesterday (27 September) to help deliver supplies to filling stations.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has responded to criticisms that the military should have been mobilised sooner, saying: "There is a series of escalations that you go through in a crisis like this.

"We have already put 18 different steps in place which stretch right the way back to the spring.

"The system was just about coping until last weekend and it would have been capable of continuing to do so.

"Unfortunately, as we have seen with toilet rolls and other things, once people start to pursue a particular item, it can quickly escalate."