How did Wacaday begin?
Wacaday started in October 1985. It began by mistake – Roland Rat left to join the BBC and we had one week to put together a replacement show.
This is why the title music tells you nothing about the show – because we didn't know what would be in it, as you can see from the lyrics below:
“Its Wacaday, no school today, here's what you got to do, forget the post, put down the toast, we're waiting here for you….."
In the summer of 86, Mallett's Mallet began as did 'Timmy Learns to Ride', and 'Timmy Learns to Dive' etc.

It was invented in the summer of 1986 during a lunchtime meeting about the show…
“Let's have a game.
What about a word association game?
You know Orange – banana – fruit – er…
Yeah, we bonk them on the head when they go wrong.
What about using a mallet?
Mallett's Mallet!"
And the wardrobe department made a special black TOP SECRET bag to carry it in. It still travels in this bag today.
Everyone wanted to be bashed on the head “I want to know what it feels like!" Timmy has no idea of the exact number of heads but it's around a million. And that's nearly a SQUILLION!
Have you been Malletted? What did it feel like? Tell us more via email.
The rules
Each day's round of Mallett's Mallet was started by Timmy reciting a long list of the rules very quickly! But what exactly were his words? We asked him to reveal all.
What does “Bleugh!" mean?
Where did the phrase “Look at each other and go Bleugh" come from?
Timmy's Travels
How it all began
From 1987 each series of Wacaday became themed as reports were shown each day of Timmy visiting a particular country.
The first trip was Mallett in Majorca while later locations included Egypt – who remembers WAC like an Egyptian?
France, Asia (Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia and Australia – under the title WAC Asia), Jordan, Germany (or Blermany as Timmy called it) and Gibralta. Towards the end of Wacaday's run the set would also become themed to the country.
One of the best bits of Timmy's Travels were all the wonderful stories Timmy told. They are all true stories Wideawakers. How do we know? We made them up ourselves!
Summer 1988: The Grand Tour
In the 18th century young men made grand tours of Europe to finish their education and see the sights. Timmy decided to do exactly the same – but different! In the summer of 1988 Timmy started out in Inverness, talking to Wackety Yaks, looking for and finding the Wacness Monster; and dancing very complicated Highland (fishing) reels!
Then he went to Holland and had some wacky Dutch clogs made, found the smallest house in Amsterdam; and put his finger in the dyke which of course saved Holland from flooding. In Blermany Timmy met Mad King Ludwig at the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang castle and knocked some sense into him with the Mallet!
Timmy made several Wacaday trips to Australia. Once he was found at Bondi beach surfing on an ironing board! The board had been borrowed from the hotel and there was a bit of explaining to be done because it came back utterly wrecked!
In Switzerland Timmy wanted to make a Magic Cuckoo clock and find out what happened to all the holes in the Swiss cheese. And in Italy he did one of his daftest stunts. He dived into the Grand Canal in Venice!!!!!
After eating the pizza, Timmy famously climbed the leaning Tower of Pisa and unfortunately knocked it down while trying to straighten it with the Mallet! It remained closed for many many years.
Who was Wacadile Timmy?
Who was Spaghetti Malletti?
Wasn't Timmy a Roman Soldier once?
Summer 1989: Wac Asia and the Ninja Whinger
One of Timmy's favourite summer tours was in 1989 when he filmed the tour of WacAsia: Cancer to Capricorn. Taking in countries like Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia and Australia.
It was in Hong Kong that Timmy met a fearsome foe (who looked very much like Timmy) called the Ninger Whinger. He spent a lot of time Ninging and Whinging. We don't really know why but it looked dead funny!
Tell us about Timmy and Bubbles the chimp.
In Thailand, Timmy upset the Royal Family by wearing shorts and huge numbers of ties around his neck! Timmy suddenly became the King of Siam (Yes I am, Yes I am) Etcetera, Etcetera. Watch Yul Brynor in the King and I and you'll know what he was on about.
Did Timmy ever go into Space?
Is it true Timmy fought a Zulu army in South Africa?
Our favourite Timmy adventure in Malaysia involved Mr T making a cuppa in a tea plantation; and on another occasion finding Michael Jackson in a rubber plantation!
What was WAC like an Egyptian?
What happened to the water in the plug hole on the Equator?
Wac-a-Facts
Each edition of Wacaday would always end with a phone in game, but what were they?
In fourteen hundred and ninety two, Columbus sailed the ocean Bleugh!
Wacsaw puzzle
How much does a Grecian Urn?
The Horrible Haggis
Shark Infested Custard
Mallett's Malletine
How much does a Grecian Urn?
Blackie the donkey (eeyore, eeyore ee always calls me that!)
Manic Minute
Norway ski slope