Produced by Meridian and initially designed (like Vision On) for deaf children, ZZZap! was basically a big comic book that came to life, with the various comic characters engaging in highly visual antics with no dialogue.
Regular characters included:
‘Cuthbert Lilly – He’s Dead Silly’ starred Richard Waites in the title role as a pseudo-Mr Bean-style character who entertained with his slapstick antics, ineptitude and clumsiness.
‘Smart Arty’ – a hyperactive artist played by Art Attackstar Neil Buchanan (who also co-wrote and produced the series). His drawings would magically come to life.
‘The Handymen’ – two silk-gloved arms (played by Sarah Pickthall) that made games, toys and food before your very eyes on a mini theatre stage.
‘Tricky Dicky’s Mission Impossible’ – Richard Waites as a sinister faceless chap dressed all in black and white, challenging kids to perform “impossible” tasks (such as eating jelly with a fork, popping 1,000 balloons in a set time etc). Only seen in series 1.
From series 2 onwards, these challenges fell instead to ‘Daisy Dares You’, a mischievous ragtag young woman played by Deborah McCallum from series 2 to 8, and then by Claire Macaulay in series 9 and 10.
‘Minnie the Mini Magician’ – Sophie Aldred playing an apprentice magician who got most of her tricks wrong.
‘Cuthbert Lilly – He’s Dead Silly’ starred Richard Waites in the title role as a pseudo-Mr Bean-style character who entertained with his slapstick antics, ineptitude and clumsiness.
