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Through the early 1970s, as its ratings grew and its meagre budget was increased, Hey Hey evolved into a freewheeling live light entertainment / comedy variety program.

Regular segments included " What Cheeses Me Off " ( which aired viewer complaints on virtually any subject ), " Media Watch " ( to which viewers contributed humorous newspaper misprints, almost invariably smutty ), " Red Faces " ( a Gong Show-style talent competition ) and " Chook Lotto ", a parody of variety show barrel competitions, in which the numbers in a farcical lotto game were chosen using numbered frozen chickens spun in a large wire cage.

The team also performed live revue-style send-ups of current TV shows such as The Sullivans, or chaotic parodies of soap operas, police shows and other popular TV genres.

Like Kennedy's, the humour was of the wink-wink, nudge-nudge variety — viewers became accustomed to Blackman's voice-over snigger — and the satire was broad and skit-level, rather than sharp and disturbing.

The show aimed to please its lower-middle-class demographic and succeeded well.