Hacker Time

Hacker Time is a British children's sketch comedy talk show, broadcast by CBBC, starring Hacker T Dog. In each episode, Hacker interviews a celebrity, and plays games and the show also includes recurring segments, such as sketches. Six series of the show were produced, which were aired from 2011 to 2016.

Hacker Time
Genre	Children's sketch talk show
Created by	CBBC
Presented by	Hacker T. Dog
Opening theme	a modified and truncated version of U Can't Touch This
Composer	Guy Rowland
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language	English
No. of series	6
No. of episodes	63
Production
Executive producer	Annette Williams
Producer	Sid Cole
Camera setup	Video, multiple-camera setup
Running time	30 minutes
Production company	CBBC
Original release
Network	CBBC
Release	21 September 2011 (2011-09-21) – 19 August 2016 (2016-08-19)

Production

Series 1 of Hacker Time was filmed in 2010 at BBC Television Centre in studio TC9, which was decommissioned shortly after production finished. Subsequent series were filmed at MediaCityUK.

Hacker Time was originally a weekly show of 13 episodes, but starting with series 2, it consisted of 10 episodes aired over 2 weeks in the summer.

In December 2014 it was announced that there would be a fifth series, consisting of ten episodes. It started on 27 July 2015 at 9:00am.

The final episode aired on 19 August 2016. In 2017, it was confirmed that the show had been cancelled and would not return for a seventh series that year. Reruns stopped airing in 2018 and the show has not been available on BBC iPlayer since then. The final episode to air was "Robbie Savage" on the 31 August 2018.

Cast

• Ed Petrie as Lord Percy, Mr Bit, Eddie Two Knees, Captain Alan Barbara
• Isabel Fay as Lady Sarah
• Gemma Arrowsmith as Mrs Drinkwater, Mrs Do, Mrs Goldmine
• Ore Oduba as Mr Sherbet, Nathan
• Dan Antopolski as Dr Side-Parting
• Sonali Shah as Dr Pox
• George Zuchowski as Accordion George
• Ricky Boleto as Narrator (Aeroport!)
• Simon Lowe as Constable Haywain, Tony Giblet
• Ortis Deley as Dexter

Voices

• Phil Fletcher as Hacker, Derek, Wilf, Herman
• Warrick Brownlow-Pike as Dodge

Episodes

Series	Episodes		Originally aired
			First aired	Last aired
1	13		21 September 2011 (2011-09-21)	16 December 2011 (2011-12-16)
2	10		6 August 2012 (2012-08-06)	17 August 2012 (2012-08-17)
3	10		22 July 2013 (2013-07-22)	2 August 2013 (2013-08-02)
4	10		11 August 2014 (2014-08-11)	22 August 2014 (2014-08-22)
5	10		27 July 2015 (2015-07-27)	7 August 2015 (2015-08-07)
6	10		8 August 2016 (2016-08-08)	19 August 2016 (2016-08-19)

Series 1 (2011)

No. overall	No. in series	Title	Original air date	UK viewers (millions)
1	1	"Anton Du Beke"	21 September 2011 (2011-09-21)	N/A
Hacker explores the world of dance, tricking Anton Du Beke into being his studio guest and challenging the Strictly star to a dance-off. Trick sign: Sequinned shirt sale! This way!
2	2	"Dani Harmer"	28 September 2011 (2011-09-28)	0.32
Hacker tries to break into the acting world and tricks CBBC's Dani Harmer into being a studio guest. Plus a return trip to Downstairs Abbey. Trick sign: Massive Hollywood audition! Everyone welcome! This way!
3	3	"Danny Anthony and Anjli Mohindra"	5 October 2011 (2011-10-05)	N/A
Hacker gives us his unique take on aliens from galaxies far away and tricks Danny Anthony and Anjli Mohindra from The Sarah Jane Adventures into the studio. Plus we return to Downstairs Abbey. Trick sign: Unsolved alien mystery! This way!
4	4	"Steve Backshall"	12 October 2011 (2011-10-12)	N/A
Hacker offers his unique take on animal programmes and tricks 'Deadly' Steve Backshall into the studio. Plus, a trip back to Downstairs Abbey. Trick sign: Official! 61st deadliest animal! This way! (pointing in opposite direction to normal)
5	5	"Carol Kirkwood"	19 October 2011 (2011-10-19)	N/A
Hacker presents his unique take on the world's weather and tricks Carol Kirkwood from BBC Weather into the studio. Plus, a visit to the Dogs in Space. Trick sign: Nice ladies who like the weather club! New members welcome! This way!
6	6	"Ore Oduba"	26 October 2011 (2011-10-26)	N/A
Hacker shares his unique take on sports and tricks CBBC's Ore Oduba, from Sportsround, into the studio. Plus another visit to the Dogs in Space. Trick sign: Manchester United trials! All welcome! This way!
7	7	"Pollyanna Woodward"	2 November 2011 (2011-11-02)	N/A
Hacker shares his unique take on the world's best gadgets, and tricks Pollyanna Woodward from The Gadget Show into the studio to stay with his wacky new invention. Plus a return trip to Downstairs Abbey. Trick sign: Amazing new invention! Hoverboards! This way!
8	8	"JK and Joel"	9 November 2011 (2011-11-09)	N/A
Hacker introduces viewers to the world of double acts, and fools Hider in the House duo JK and Joel into the studio. With comedy guests and outtakes from other programmes, plus another trip to the hysterically historical Downstairs Abbey. Trick sign: Britain's best double act needed! This way! (there is also a sign pointing the other way to the toilets)
9	9	"Stefan Gates"	16 November 2011 (2011-11-16)	N/A
Hacker explores the tasty world of food. He cooks up trouble when he invites Gastronuts presenter Stefan Gates into the studio. Plus a trip to see those Dogs in Space. Trick sign: Really weird food and that! Fill your boots! This way!
10	10	"Bill Turnbull and Sian Williams"	23 November 2011 (2011-11-23)	N/A
Hacker tricks BBC Breakfast presenters Bill Turnbull and Sian Williams into appearing on his own new programme idea, Dog's Breakfast. Plus a visit to the Dogs in Space. Trick sign: New Breakfast studio! This way!
11	11	"Jedward"	30 November 2011 (2011-11-30)	N/A
Hacker attracts Jedward into the studio. Plus some great Jedward mess-ups and a trip to Downstairs Abbey. Trick sign: Free hair gel! This way!
12	12	"Helen Skelton"	11 December 2011 (2011-12-11)	N/A
Hacker shares his unique take on television adventurers. He tricks Blue Peter's Helen Skelton into the studio to see if she knows as much as him. Featuring a return to those Dogs in Space. Trick sign: Really, really, massively and impossibly difficult and scary challenge! This way!
13	13	"Iain Stirling"	16 December 2011 (2011-12-16)	N/A
In the last of the series, Hacker tries to trick a huge teenage heartthrob into the studio. It goes horribly wrong, and CBBC's Iain Stirling has his part to play in it! Trick sign: Great big megastars! This way!

Series 2 (2012)

No. overall	No. in series	Title	Original air date	UK viewers (millions)
14	1	"Dick and Dom"	6 August 2012 (2012-08-06)	N/A
This time Dick and Dom are Hacker's special guests. Amongst the inevitable chaos, mayhem and gunge, there's Hacker's new crime serial Sherlock Bones, and many funny clips.
15	2	"Sue Barker"	7 August 2012 (2012-08-07)	N/A
Hacker T. Dog is joined by the Queen of Sport, Sue Barker in a sport-tastic Hacker Time. Also featuring new crime drama, Sherlock Bones, a dancing lemon and Hacker's pick of the funniest Howlers from around the world.
16	3	"Naomi Wilkinson"	8 August 2012 (2012-08-08)	N/A
Naomi Wilkinson is tricked on to the set to prove that she's neither Deadly nor 60! Hacker also finds out exactly how much Naomi knows about animal poo. Featuring cameo from Steve Backshall.
17	4	"Barney Harwood"	9 August 2012 (2012-08-09)	N/A
Blue Peter bloke Barney Harwood finds himself on Hacker's chat show. He's used to appearing on TV, but Hacker Time is not like any other TV show... Also features a cameo appearance from Harwood's Bear Behaving Badly co-star Nev the Bear.
18	5	"Gerran Howell and Clare Thomas"	10 August 2012 (2012-08-10)	N/A
Young Dracula actors Gerran Howell (Vlad) and Clare Thomas (Ingrid) are spooktacularly tricked into the Hacker Time studio... Prepare to be scared.
19	6	"Jennie McAlpine"	13 August 2012 (2012-08-13)	N/A
Hacker is fizzing over with excitement when he secures top drawer Coronation Street star Jennie McAlpine to appear on his show. There'll be acting LOLs, another ridiculous song - and doggy detective Sherlock Bones.
20	7	"Ed Petrie"	14 August 2012 (2012-08-14)	N/A
Ed Petrie feels All Over the Place when Hacker T Dog tricks him into appearing as a guest on his tiny, tiny little TV show. Ed's used to appearing on CBBC, but Hacker Time is not like any other TV show he's done. Featuring cameo from JLS.
21	8	"Connor Byrne and Kay Purcell"	15 August 2012 (2012-08-15)	N/A
Hacker will be causing more trouble than Tracy Beaker - when he tricks Connor Byrne and Kay Purcell (aka Mike and Gina) from Tracy Beaker Returns into appearing on his show.
22	9	"Ricky Boleto"	16 August 2012 (2012-08-16)	N/A
News just in! Ricky Boleto has been inadvertently tricked in to appearing on Hacker Time! Expect news-based chaos! Bong!
23	10	"Ceallach Spellman"	17 August 2012 (2012-08-17)	N/A
Ceallach Spellman from Friday Download gets uploaded into the studio. Also featuring Hacker's new crime serial Sherlock Bones, and many funny clips, plus a cameo from fellow Downloader Richard Wisker.

Series 3 (2013)

No. overall	No. in series	Title	Original air date	UK viewers (millions)
24	1	"Sam and Mark"	22 July 2013 (2013-07-22)
Hacker is back with his own unique brand of top line entertainment - games, music, and comedy, all with a canine twist. Hacker tries to wind up his special guests, Sam and Mark.
25	2	"Susanna Reid"	23 July 2013 (2013-07-23)
More top notch comedy from Hacker, plus the hard hitting medical docu-drama, Casually. Hacker hones his interviewing skills with BBC Breakfast's Susanna Reid.
26	3	"Joe Pasquale"	24 July 2013 (2013-07-24)
More chaotic canine comedy capers from Hacker and his production team, plus there is a familiar face in Quarter Past 4 O'Clock Club. His guest is Joe Pasquale.
27	4	"Saira Khan"	25 July 2013 (2013-07-25)
Hacker and his rather woolly team attempt to keep another show on air. But don't worry, if Hacker Time falls apart then Derek Time is always on standby. Hacker's guest is business guru Saira Khan.
28	5	"Robbie Savage"	26 July 2013 (2013-07-26)
More top line entertainment from the pooch with pedigree, including the tension-fuelled game of strategy, What's In 'Em?. Hacker tackles Robbie Savage with some football banter.
29	6	"Khalil and Jason"	29 July 2013 (2013-07-29)
More comedy capers from our pedigree pooch, plus top dollar drama from the folk of Cockers' Creek. Hacker's guests are Khalil Madovi and Jason Callender from 4 O'Clock Club.
30	7	"Matt Allwright"	30 July 2013 (2013-07-30)
More entertainment from Hacker T. Dog and his rather unique production team. Comedy, music, and games, plus Watchdog's very own Matt Allwright as he's never been seen before.
31	8	"Fran Scott"	31 July 2013 (2013-07-31)
More canine comedy capers from the host who's barely house trained. Hacker's inventive skills are really put to the test, as his guest is scientist Fran Scott from Absolute Genius with Dick and Dom.
32	9	"Andrew Whyment"	1 August 2013 (2013-08-01)
More flea-bitten fun from the legendary four-legged friend. Hacker's guest is actor Andrew Whyment. But he ends up in a lather after meeting Accordion George.
33	10	"Shannon Flynn"	2 August 2013 (2013-08-02)
Hacker goes out on a howling high note in the final show of the series. His guest is Friday Download's very own Shannon Flynn, plus a cameo appearance from Alesha Dixon.

Series 4 (2014)

No. overall	No. in series	Title	Original air date	UK viewers (millions)
34	1	"Bobby Lockwood"	11 August 2014 (2014-08-11)
Chat, music and comedy from Hacker T. Dog, all with a canine curveball. In this episode, Hacker tries to outfox Wolfblood's Bobby Lockwood.
35	2	"Perri and Jordan"	12 August 2014 (2014-08-12)
More chat, music and comedy from Hacker T. Dog, plus the historical drama A Knight's Tail. Will our magical mutt also have the right moves to impress Perri Kiely and Jordan Banjo from Diversity?
36	3	"Deborah Meaden"	13 August 2014 (2014-08-13)
Chat, music and comedy from Hacker T. Dog and another tune from Quarter Past Four O'Clock Club. Also, Hacker hopes Dragons' Den star Deborah Meaden will invest her time and effort in his flea-ridden ideas.
37	4	"Ben Shires"	14 August 2014 (2014-08-14)
Hacker tries to keep another show on air. Also Wilf and Herman attempt to present in the Opinion Parlour. His guest is the Officially Amazing Ben Shires.
38	5	"Martin Lewis"	15 August 2014 (2014-08-15)
Chat, music and comedy from Hacker T Dog. Also featuring the lift-based quiz that works on many levels. In this episode, Hacker's guest is financial guru Martin Lewis.
39	6	"Simon Rimmer"	18 August 2014 (2014-08-18)
Comedy capers from Hacker T Dog, as well as the start of his top flight documentary, Aeroport. Also, has Hacker bitten off more than he can chew with TV chef Simon Rimmer?
40	7	"Radzi and Lindsey"	19 August 2014 (2014-08-19)
More flea-bitten fun, chat and music from Hacker T. Dog, but what will he make of Blue Peter presenters Radzi Chinyanganya and Lindsey Russell?
42	8	"Maisie Smith"	20 August 2014 (2014-08-20)
Fun, chat and music with a cockney twist as Hacker's guest is EastEnders star Maisie Smith. Will he win her over or will she be on the dog and bone to her agent?
42	9	"Sally Nugent"	21 August 2014 (2014-08-21)
Fun, chat and music from Hacker T. Dog, plus another uninvited appearance from Derek's mother. His guest is BBC Breakfast's Sally Nugent. She loves sport. He does not. What could possibly go right?
43	10	"Ortis Deley"	22 August 2014 (2014-08-22)
Fun, chat and music from Hacker T. Dog, featuring a trip to the future inspired by this episode's guest, Ortis Deley from The Gadget Show. Is the future clad in silver foil? It is just one of the pooch's many predictions!

Series 5 (2015)

No. overall	No. in series	Title	Original air date	UK viewers (millions)
44	1	"Kia Pegg and Amy-Leigh Hickman"	27 July 2015 (2015-07-27)
Fun, chat and music from Hacker T. Dog, featuring actresses Kia Pegg and Amy-Leigh Hickman.
45	2	"Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock"	28 July 2015 (2015-07-28)
Fun, chat and music from Hacker T. Dog, featuring The Sky at Night and Stargazing Live presenter Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock.
46	3	"Millie & Jeremy"	29 July 2015 (2015-07-29)
Fun, chat and music from Hacker T. Dog, featuring Millie Inbetween actors Millie Innes and Jeremy Edwards.
47	4	"Rav Wilding"	30 July 2015 (2015-07-30)
Fun, chat and music from Hacker T. Dog, featuring Hero Squad and Crimewatch presenter Rav Wilding.
48	5	"Kevin Clifton"	31 July 2015 (2015-07-31)
Fun, chat and music from Hacker T. Dog, featuring Strictly Come Dancing's professional dancer Kevin Clifton as Hacker's special guest.
49	6	"Chris van Tulleken and Xand van Tulleken"	3 August 2015 (2015-08-03)
Fun, chat and music from Hacker T. Dog, featuring Operation Ouch! presenters Dr Chris and Dr Xand van Tulleken.
50	7	"Ellie Simmonds"	4 August 2015 (2015-08-04)
Fun, chat and music from Hacker T. Dog, featuring sketches The Next Step but One and Quarter Past 4 O'Clock Club. Hacker's special guest is gold medal-winning Paralympian Ellie Simmonds.
51	8	"Tim Warwood"	5 August 2015 (2015-08-05)
Fun, chat and music from Hacker T Dog. Hacker's special guest is CBBC's Tim Warwood.
52	9	"Sonia"	6 August 2015 (2015-08-06)
Featuring sketches via The Next Step but One and Quarter Past 4 O'Clock Club. Hacker's special guest is 80s singer Sonia, star of the West End and Eurovision.
53	10	"Jay Rayner"	7 August 2015 (2015-08-07)
Fun, chat and music from Hacker T. Dog. His special guest is celebrity food critic and TV presenter Jay Rayner.

Series 6 (2016)

No. overall	No. in series	Title	Original air date	UK viewers (millions)
54	1	"Kimberly Wyatt"	8 August 2016 (2016-08-08)
Hacker interviews Taking The Next Step judge, Kimberly Wyatt.
55	2	"Leona Vaughan and Louis Payne"	9 August 2016 (2016-08-09)
Hacker interviews Wolfblood stars, Leona Vaughan and Louis Payne.
56	3	"Lauren Layfield"	10 August 2016 (2016-08-10)
Hacker interviews The Dengineers presenter, Lauren Layfield.
57	4	"Alison Hammond"	11 August 2016 (2016-08-11)
Hacker interviews ITV television personality and actress, Alison Hammond.
58	5	"Isabel Clifton and Matthew Ashforde"	12 August 2016 (2016-08-12)
Hacker interviews Hetty Feather stars, Isabel Clifton and Matthew Ashforde.
59	6	"Steph McGovern"	15 August 2016 (2016-08-15)
Hacker interviews BBC Breakfast and Pocket Money Pitch presenter, Steph McGovern.
60	7	"Michelle Hardwick"	16 August 2016 (2016-08-16)
Hacker interviews Emmerdale star, Michelle Hardwick.
61	8	"Luis Troyano"	17 August 2016 (2016-08-17)
Hacker interviews The Great British Bake Off contestant, Luis Troyano.
62	9	"Paul Martin"	18 August 2016 (2016-08-18)
Hacker interviews Flog It! presenter, Paul Martin.
63	10	"Ricky Martin"	19 August 2016 (2016-08-19)
Hacker interviews Art Ninja presenter, Ricky Martin (not to be confused with the "Livin' La Vida Loca" singer).

Segments

Each episode has a distinct format. At the start is a title sequence. From series 3 onward, there is a cold open before this featuring what goes wrong in the studio where the show takes place. Often episodes feature an interview with a celebrity (usually a BBC star). The episodes consist of a fact file, a comedic chat about the star of the show, a fictional commercial break (in some episodes), a song, a specific themed segment (usually in the style of a soap opera), more chatting, a parody of the show the special guest stars in, and another sketch. The show ends with a goodbye song, reminding viewers to tune in to the next edition.

In the last four series, the show's final sequence is a game:

• Series 3 - 'What's In 'Em?': The guests are asked to pick three "storage units". Hacker always picks them in the same order, regardless of what the guest chooses. First is the side cabinet, which often involves guessing what something is, then the wardrobe, in which a man with an accordion (whom Hacker calls 'Accordion George') will play a well known song which the players have to guess (in some episodes there is a person in a black bear costume in the wardrobe instead, who performs a dance for the players to guess). Finally, the hatbox, which involves a series of quick fire questions. At the end of the game, Hacker sends the guests on a holiday, often to somewhere unusual.
• Series 4 - 'Get Out!': The guests have to answer each question correctly to go up a floor and (hopefully) go home. If they don't get all the questions right, they end up going to another floor in the building.
• Series 5 - ‘Sit on the Lav Lav and Answer Some Questions’: The guests are sat on a toilet, which is disguised as a throne. They're given a series of questions, often including a song from Accordion George. At the end, they're flushed down into a sewer.
• Series 6 - 'Beam My Guest': The guests are stood in a beaming device, and have to answer questions before the time runs out. At the end, the players are sent somewhere unusual (due to Herman pulling the wrong lever)

In all of the episodes there are many segments. In series 1, one of the recurring extras are a spoof of Downton Abbey called Downstairs Abbey starring Hacker T. Dog and Dodge T. Dog as maids and Ed Petrie as their master. It stars two maids (Hacker and Dodge) who are in love with Lord Percy (Petrie) but to their dismay he is in love with another woman Lady Sarah (Isabel Fay). Whenever Lady Sarah comes to the Abbey, Lord Percy tries to do something nice for her involving the maids and it all goes disastrously wrong. Then Lord Percy asks the maids to clear up after him. Some episodes instead feature a sci-fi parody called Dogs In Space, in which Hacker and Dodge are in a spaceship.

There is also the 'Betterer Arena' in which Hacker attempts to perform "betterer" than the celebrity/s at their profession, be it acting or sport and then fails spectacularly. This features Warrick Brownlow-Pike as various different assistants for Hacker.

In Series 2 of Hacker Time, The Adventures of Sherlock Bones (a parody of Sherlock Holmes) replaces Downstairs Abbey, in which Hacker (as Sherlock) goes around the land of Teapot solving mysteries, often making silly conclusions at the end of each episode. Each episode of Sherlock Bones is about 2–4 minutes long.

Also in Series 2, Derek, one of Hacker's assistants, shows a part of the episode called Derek Time in which he shows three clips (sourced from YouTube), and when Hacker says no he threatens to show the viewers at home "the photograph" (which is never revealed). In Series 3, this became an "emergency film" that Derek shows when Hacker and his guest are having a long discussion or something goes wrong. These are presented from his bedroom and end with his mother shouting at him about something.

In Series 3, the first 5 episodes featured the "hard hitting medical docu-drama", "Casually", a spoof of Casualty, in which all the doctors and nurses give the wrong treatment. The last 5 episodes featured "Tales from the Mild West", where Hacker becomes the mayor of an old western town.

Series 3 also introduced the "Quarter Past 4 O'Clock Club", a parody of 4 O'Clock Club, in which Josh (played by Hacker) is taught various ways to behave by Nathan (Ore Oduba).

In Series 4 the first 5 episodes featured "A Knight's Tale". The last 5 episodes contained "Aeroport", a mockumentary set in an airport.

Series 4 also saw "Derek Time" replaced with the "Opinion P@rlour", in which Wilf and Herman ask people's opinions on a particular subject.

In Series 5 episode 1-5, there was "Ms Marbles Mysteries" (a parody of Miss Marple), where Ms Marbles (played by Hacker) finds many mysteries and solves them. In episodes 6-10 there is "The Next Step But One", a parody of The Next Step.

In Series 6, the first 5 episodes featured "The Adventures of Admiral Lawnmower", and the last 5 featured "The Accommodation Place", set in the Best Opulent Tip Top Ostentatious Metropolitan Hotel (or BOTTOM for short).

Also in Series 6, the "Quarter Past 4 O'Clock Club" was replaced by "Lost and Found (And Lost Again)", a parody of The Next Step's spinoff show Lost and Found.

External links

• Official website
• Hacker Time at BBC Online
• Hacker Time at British Comedy Guide
• Hacker Time at IMDb