Wacaday facts for kids

Wacaday was a popular children's television series in the United Kingdom. It aired during school holidays on the TV-am channel from October 1985 until 1992. The show was on from 8:50 to 9:25 a.m. and was hosted by the energetic Timmy Mallett.

What Was Wacaday?

Wacaday was a very lively and fun show, much like another program called Wide Awake Club. Both shows were broadcast live. Wacaday featured many exciting segments that kept kids entertained.

Popular Games and Segments

One of the show's most famous games was 'Mallett's Mallet'. This was a fast-paced word-association game. Another fun segment was 'Drop Your Toast'. In this part, Timmy would suddenly read out a viewer's name. The goal was to surprise them so much that they would drop their breakfast toast!

From 1987 onwards, each series of Wacaday had a special theme. There were six series each year, one for every school holiday. Each series focused on a different country that Timmy had visited. Pre-recorded videos from these countries taught viewers about their culture, customs, and history. Timmy often made these reports funny by acting out famous scenes from the country's past. In later series, even the studio set was decorated to match the country's theme.

Other regular parts of the show included stories about Magic, Timmy's pet cockatiel. There were also phone-in quizzes, usually at the end of the program. A lucky viewer would get to compete in a game that often involved "gunge" (a slimy, gooey substance). Plus, each episode featured a short five-minute cartoon, like Transformers or Dick Tracy. Even though some small parts of the show changed over the years, the main structure stayed the same.

Timmy Mallett's Famous Trademarks

Wacaday became even more successful than Wide Awake Club. Many people remember Timmy Mallett best for this show. It's where many of his famous trademarks began. These include his giant pink mallet, called Pinky Punky, and his funny catchphrase, "bleugh!"

Pinky Punky was first introduced in 1990. It's a soft, plush hammer with a yellow handle and a pink head. The head has glasses and a yellow "punk" hairstyle. Pinky Punky was famous for asking, "Mr Mallett! Mr Mallett! Can I go to the toilet?" You can even see a Pinky Punky at the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum in Coventry, as Timmy Mallett donated it there.

The "bleugh!" saying actually started by accident. During the 'Mallett's Mallet' game, Timmy would quickly repeat the rules every day. One time, early in the game's history, he messed up his lines and said "bleugh!" instead. From that moment on, it became his well-known catchphrase.

Later in Wacaday's run, Timmy's routine of gently hitting people with his giant foam mallet changed. Especially in the 'Mallett's Mallet' game, he started hitting large buttons on a machine to keep score instead. This change happened because the show's producers were worried. They thought young viewers at home might try to copy the routine by hitting people with heavy objects. This change made sure the show was safe for everyone.

The End of Wacaday

Wacaday continued for two years after its parent company, TV-am, faced changes. However, the show finally ended in 1992 when TV-am lost its broadcasting license.

Fun Facts

Magic, the cockatiel who appeared on the show with Timmy, is buried in Timmy Mallett's garden.