Day of the week between Thursday and Saturday, named after Frigg (a goddess from Norse mythology, the wife of Odin).
The first two series of Knightmare were originally shown on Mondays. But when it was shown on Fridays from Series 3 onwards, its special appeal was amplified. This was likely due to the joy and relief of an imminent weekend (so-called 'Friday feeling') being complemented by the much-anticipated pleasure of an episode of Knightmare. Many KM fans have attested to this online:

'I couldn't wait to finish school on Fridays to see it' - Don, Knightmare.clara.net Guestbook, 14/03/99

'I remember watching Knightmare on mostly cold Fridays. I would sit close to the TV with the fire on and sometimes attempted to close the curtains.' - Adam Battersby, TES Bring Back Knightmare Petition, 26/10/99

'When I was 6 (1992) my swimming lessons I was taking, changed to Friday evenings, meaning I's have to set off at 4. 50pm when Knightmare had just got really exiting. I refused to go swimming & even went as far as tying myself to the TV, with a piece of thread, feeble I know, but it worked!!!!' - Sophie, TES Bring Back Knightmare Petition, 10/11/99


'My week used to revolve around Knightmare
Mon-Thur: Anticipation of the next show
Fri: The Show!' - Robin John Barlow, TES Bring Back Knightmare Petition, 13/12/99

'I remember that it was always shown on Fridays. As a result, Friday became known to me as the only day of the week. It was what I lived for.' - Paul Moran, TES Bring Back Knightmare Petition, 12/03/00

'It truly was a fantastic show, and made Fridays the best day of the week.' - Eddie Bernard, TES Bring Back Knightmare Petition, 16/07/00

'These days there is nothing to look forward to on TV anymore. I remember when I was at school Fridays was always a happy time because it left you wondering if the team would get across the causeways and if they would win their quest.' - Ross MacDonald, TES Bring Back Knightmare Petition, 29/08/00

'Knightmare was the programme Friday afternoons were made for!!!' - Emma Hutchins, TES Bring Back Knightmare Petition, 08/10/00

'It was what capped off Fridays for me; whenever I think of it, I get the taste of fish and chips (dinner always seemed to be ready in the middle of a show!).' - Jon P. Moran, TES Bring Back Knightmare Petition, 14/10/00

'Whatever happened during the week at school, I knew that Knightmare would be there for me on Friday. However upset or disgruntled I was feeling after a long, hard week at school, Knightmare would be there to comfort me, and no one could take that away from me.' - Jake Collins, TES Issue 26

'School really sucked - I hated it; it was like tourture. I used to struggle through the week knowing that I'd get home on a friday to watch knightmare on CITV. I used to arrive home at about 4:30 - and I'd made it! through another week.' - beamrider2600, Knightmare Discussion Forum, 01/04/03

'Every Friday was a time to get excited, as soon as I finished school, i would rush back as quick as I could, turn on my TV and tune into Knightmare, I never missed a episodes, and if I have plans on a friday, I would actually abandon them just to tune in.' - Porsmond, Knightmare Discussion Forum, 01/04/03

'I loved it when Fridays came round, but as I lived only 10 minutes away from school (both primary and secondary!), I would arrive home at 3.40pm and have to wait 1 hour and 5 minutes before it started.' - Velda, Knightmare Discussion Forum, 03/04/03

'This is how i would remember fridays with Knightmare. I'd run home from school at full speed (nearly got knocked over on the roads a few times) arrived home at 3:15 and had to struggle through over an hour of other cartoons untill [sic] KM came on, god how i loved it!' - Steve, Knightmare Discussion Forum, 06/04/03

'Browsing all the fansites, seeing the screenshots of fondly-remembered locations and hazards.... it's incredible. I've been transported in my nostalgic head back to a time when, like the rest of you, Friday afternoons had a certain aura of anticipation and dread about them.' - SkipTheDreadnort, Knightmare Discussion Forum, 11/04/04

'i must have been very young when i saw the show, i remember bits and pieces, but i do remember sitting infront of the tv every friday after school just before my tea, makeing sure i didn't miss it!' - Darren, Knightmare Discussion Forum, 16/11/04

'I was a Knightmare addict when I was younger. It was part of my life, every Friday afternoon, I'd come back from school, and we'd have "Sweetie Day" at the local shop, and always arrive back just in time to watch Knightmare with my 30p Pick'N'Mix!' - Phoenix, Knightmare Discussion Forum, 08/01/05

'I used to invite my mates round on a friday afternoon after school and we would all watch it together...then we would discuss the programme all evening!!!!' - natnut, Knightmare Discussion Forum, 18/04/06

Knightmare itself acknowledged its connection to Friday: at the start of Series 8, Lord Fear declared to the Watchers that they had "no idea how much I've been looking forward to these Friday sessions. He he, did I say Friday? I meant Frightday!"

Astro Farm, Fun House and Countdown were also shown on a Friday afternoon.

In the Knightmare VR pilot, Lord Fear and Lissard were overheard discussing passwords. Lord Fear told Lissard that that day's "general password" was "today, of course ... think of fish." Advisor Vishar surmised that Lord Fear was referring to Friday, "the day we think of fish on", and that word was then used to get dungeoneer Arthur past an ogre. However, Lord Fear had instructed Lissard to change the password to the next day's. Tim Child awarded prizes to Knightmare Forum users The Brollachan and Moana Liza for spotting this 'non-deliberate mistake'.

In 2013, the decision by Challenge to repeat episodes of Knightmare (and Fun House) on Fridays has prompted strong feelings of nostalgia among the programme's childhood viewers, much of it expressed via social media. This has included the use of the Twitter hashtag #Frightday.

[Earlier versions: 2008-04-12 15:02:42, 2007-02-21 17:36:56]

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