U.K. Movie Theaters Offer Free Tickets to 'Vulnerable' Redheads During Unprecedented Heatwave
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Showcase Cinemas is offering one of the most "vulnerable" communities in Britain a respite from the country's record temperatures.
The movie theater chain announced that redheads can catch a flick for free at U.K. locations on Monday, July 18 and Tuesday, July 19, which are anticipated to be the nation's hottest days in recorded history.
"Free tickets for redheads on the hottest days ever!" Showcase advertised in a post, which they captioned: "You're gonna want to let your redheaded friends know about this."
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Researchers have found that people with the MC1R gene, which causes red hair, pale skin and freckles, are at a higher risk of skin cancer, according to a 2016 study published by Nature Communications.
And although a 2021 report showed that less than 5 percent of U.K. homes have air conditioning, most of the country's movie theaters are equipped with the amenity.
"Experts say the UK is soon to witness its hottest EVER days on record and since redheads are often more vulnerable than most to the sun's rays, we're giving them shelter from the sun inside our fully air conditioned cinema screens to catch the latest blockbusters for no cost at all!" Showcase wrote in a statement.
The offer comes as the U.K. issued its first ever recorded "red warning" for extreme heat Sunday through Tuesday, as temperatures are "likely to lead to widespread impacts on people and infrastructure," according to the Met Office. Temperatures are expected to climb as high as 106 degrees Fahrenheit (41 Celsius).
Dr. Nikos Christidis, a climate attribution scientist at the Met Office, noted that extreme temperatures are even more likely in the future, due to climate change.
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"Climate change has already influenced the likelihood of temperature extremes in the UK," he said. "The chances of seeing 40°C days in the UK could be as much as 10 times more likely in the current climate than under a natural climate unaffected by human influence.
"The likelihood of exceeding 40°C anywhere in the UK in a given year has also been rapidly increasing, and, even with current pledges on emissions reductions, such extremes could be taking place every 15 years in the climate of 2100," Christidis added.
At least 748 people have died in Spain and Portugal this month from the European heatwave, The Weather Channel reports.
