Hey Hey It's Saturday

This article is about the 1971–1999 Australian television program. For the 1990–1991 British program of the same name, see Hey, Hey, It's Saturday! (UK TV programme).
"HHiS" redirects here. For "HHIs" as a plural acronym, see HHI (disambiguation).

Hey Hey It's Saturday
2010 Hey Hey It's Saturday logo
GenreVariety
Directed byPeter Ots
Ray Punjer
Scott Duncan
Andrew Cooper
Presented byDaryl Somers
Starring
Jacki MacDonald
John Blackman
Andrew Fyfe
Russell Gilbert
Livinia Nixon
Denise Drysdale
Ossie Ostrich
Plucka Duck
Dickie Knee
Red Symons
Wilbur Wilde
Molly Meldrum
John-Michael Howson
JudgesRed Symons
(Red Faces segment)
Voices ofJohn Blackman
Country of originAustralia
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons29 (1971–1977, 1979–1999, 2009–2010, 2021, 2022)
No. of episodes500+
Production
Executive producersDaryl Somers
Gavan Disney
ProducersBob Phillips
Pam Barnes
Jenny Parr
Jim Burnett
Ernie Carroll
Production locationsGTV Richmond, Victoria (1971–1999, 2009–2010)
Camera setupMultiple-camera setup
Running time3 hrs (1971–83)
2 hrs (1984–99, 2009–10)
(including commercials)[1]
Production companiesSomers Carroll Productions
United Media Productions
DAS Entertainment
Original release
NetworkNine Network (1971–1999, 2009, 2010)
Seven Network (2021, 2022)
Release9 October 1971 (1971-10-09) –
20 November 1999 (1999-11-20) (first run)
30 September and 7 October 2009 (reunion specials)
14 April 2010 – 27 November 2010 (second run)
10 October 2021 and 17 April 2022 (anniversary specials)
Infobox instructions (only shown in preview)

Hey Hey It's Saturday was a long-running variety television program on Australian television. It initially ran for 28 years on the Nine Network from 9 October 1971 to 20 November 1999, with a recess in 1978. Its host throughout its entire run was Daryl Somers, who later also became executive producer of the program. The original producer, Gavan Disney, left the program in December 1990[2] and Somers then formed a production company, Somers Carroll Productions, with comedy writer and on-screen partner Ernie Carroll, the performer of Somers' pink ostrich puppet sidekick Ossie Ostrich. Carroll retired in 1994, and Ossie was no longer featured in the show.

On 25 July 2009, the Nine Network announced the show would return for two reunion specials in late 2009 and hinted if they rated strongly, the show could return full-time.[3] The first reunion show aired on 30 September 2009, and the second on 7 October, and both won the ratings on their respective nights. However, the reunion also received negative international attention for a segment featuring performers in blackface.[4]

On 7 December 2009, it was announced that the show was planned to return in 2010 with 20 episodes.[5] Broadcast of the 20 episodes were split into two groups with a break between them, with the revival premiering on Wednesday 14 April 2010. The second group was broadcast on Saturday nights from 16 October 2010 with the season finale on 27 November 2010. Due to falling ratings and high production costs, the show was not renewed for a new season in 2011.[6]

A 50th anniversary special, Hey Hey It's 50 Years, aired on the Seven Network on 10 October 2021, which is 50 years and one day after the show debuted.[7][8]

The show's website has since been turned into a paid streaming service where people can get access to full episodes and clips from the show for a monthly fee.[9]

  1. ^ "Classic TV Guides". 6 June 2012.
  2. ^ Simon Kent, 'Hey, Hey, Daryl, It Wasn't Always Like This', Sydney Morning Herald 2 June 1991 p. 24
  3. ^ "Hey Hey It's Saturday Back on Nine". NineMSN. 25 July 2009. p. 1. Archived from the original on 27 July 2009. Retrieved 25 July 2009.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference abcred was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ "Hey Hey It's Saturday returns April 14". What's On The Tube. 26 March 2010. Retrieved 26 March 2010.[permanent dead link‍]
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference tvt2010 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference anniversary2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Knox, David (26 September 2021). "Airdate: Hey Hey It's 50 Years". TV Tonight. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
  9. ^ "Hey Hey It's Saturday – On Demand!". heyhey.tv. Retrieved 1 July 2024.