Hayes joined the World Wrestling Federation in 1982. Hayes started as a road agent but then started doing television for McMahon as well, starting work as an interviewer during the December 26, 1983 edition of wrestling at Madison Square Garden. He was a sidekick to Vince McMahon on "Tuesday Night Titans", a WWF-style talk show from 1984 to 1986. Hayes became familiar to WWF viewers as a light-spoken Englishman (using a softer accent than during his period as a heel manager) with an uproarious laugh. On "TNT", Hayes usually was the victim of several slapsticks; some instances included getting a face-full of powder, being slopped with pumpkin-innards by "Captain" Lou Albano, drinking one of Hulk Hogan's diet shakes, then promptly vomiting, being nearly bitten by one of Hillbilly Jim's goats, and getting slapped in the face by "Rowdy" Roddy Piper. He would later become the introductory announcer on "Prime Time Wrestling", on which he would give rousing and complimentary introductions to the face hosts and slightly less flattering but coolly worded intros to Bobby "The Brain" Heenan. He was once "taken hostage" from the show by Sgt. Slaughter and his "Iraqi" allies.