BBC Christmas
~ BBC at Christmas ~
At Christmas whilst the ITV regions didn't always have the budget to invest in Christmas presentation, the BBC has nearly always pulled out all the stops on their festive looks across both BBC1 and 2. Sadly this long running trend has been becoming increasingly poor since the turn of the new millenium, with packages being recycled year upon year now.
BBC1
BBC Christmas 1993
This was the ident used for Christmas 1993, and features a static wintery scene, apart from the gently animating night sky.
532k
BBC Christmas 1996 Advert
I didnt have the actual Xmas logo for 1996(The recording I had still showed the standard globe), but I did find this christmas advert for the network premier of 'Jurassic Park'.
BBC1 Christmas 1997
The next logo I could find was from Christmas 1997, after BBC1's New look had been introduced. There were several different versions of this, using pictures and music for different parts of the Carol 'The Twelve Days Of Christmas'. The picture in the middle was usually circular, designed to be a replacement for the globe. This is just one of the examples, using the line 'A Partridge in a Pear Tree'.
BBC1 Christmas 2000
From Christmas 2000. The Balloon was kept in this festive logo, only this time we actually see someone flying it!!
BBC1 Christmas 2001
There were three variations on this ident, to coincide with the 3 toys. This was an interesting use of an ident to advertise a programme, with the Yellow 3-wheel Van symbolising the return of Only Fools and Horses after 5 years. Alas, this was to be the last year with the faithful BBC Balloon.
BBC1 Christmas 2002/2003
The first year without the globe came, and with it the first of the Christmas idents to be based upon the 'Dance' theme. Sadly they went with little kids, set against a fake sky. I dread to think what those kids will think when they look back in years to come.
Worse was to come in the second year though (2003). For the first time in over 2 decades, the BBC snubbed their Christmas presentation, and reused the 2002 one, defending the decision by stating 'it was popular with the viewers'. No doubt this'll be the same magical viewers they interviewed who said they found channel DOGs useful...
Worse was to come in the second year though (2003). For the first time in over 2 decades, the BBC snubbed their Christmas presentation, and reused the 2002 one, defending the decision by stating 'it was popular with the viewers'. No doubt this'll be the same magical viewers they interviewed who said they found channel DOGs useful...
BBC1 Christmas 2004
Thankfully for Christmas 2004 a new ident was introduced to BBC1, with BBC2 being the scrooge in terms of presentation for the year. Children and red skies remain, only this time Christmas pudding spacehoppers are the order of the day, with an accompanying bouncy rendition of the BBC1 signature tune. Though the ident officially launched on Saturday 18th (this file being it's first proper outing), it was shown first a day earlier on Blue Peter, due to the ident being the result of a competition ran on the programme.
BBC1 Christmas 2004 Bumper
BBC1 - Christmas 2005
BBC1 Promo - Christmas 2005
BBC1 Bumper - Christmas 2005
BBC1 Bumper - Christmas 2005
BBC2
BBC2 Christmas 1997
The first Christmas logo on here from BBC2. This was being used on BBC2, at the same time as the '12-nights' idents on BBC1.
BBC2 Christmas 2000
The BBC2 ident from Xmas 2000. This was unusual in that it shows the 2 from an angle, rather than face-on(like normal!). A curious ident in that it made a sudden short reappearance on BBC2 during the 2006 Winter Olympics, now sporting the purple box in the bottom right and with an updated piece of music. As if we wouldn't notice... =;)
BBC2 Christmas 2001
The BBC2 ident from Xmas 2001. This is the first of the Christmas idents using the new 'yellow' look, and shows the 2 character, with an angel exploding out of its hand (As angels do!!).
BBC2 Christmas 2002
As well as recycling last years BBC2 ident, for Christmas 2002, this new version was introduced.
BBC2 Christmas 2003
Although BBC2 recycled both 2001 and 2002's idents for 2003, at least they did in a new one to make a set of 3, unlike the none-existent effort from their bigger brother BBC1. Sadly though, the following year for Christmas 2004 things were different. Whilst BBC1 did finally bring in a new ident, BBC2 simply recycled the same 3 from previous years.
BBC2 - Christmas 2005
2005 saw a complete return to traditional form for the BBC. Not only did BBC1 have a new ident, but BBC2, widely expected to just recycle their christmas package once more, surprised us all with 3 lovely idents. Either someone at the BBC had a guilty conscience, or they just feared ITV outshining them again. In somewhat of a break from the usual style of the channel presentation, the traditional jingle is almost indistinguishable, whilst the usual bright yellow background has been toned down to mere yellow spotlights against a 2 formed from shooting stars.
BBC2 - Christmas 2005
BBC2 Sting - Christmas 2005
BBC3/4
BBC Choice Christmas 2002
For Christmas 2002, the 2 digital channels were given idents as well. The Christmas Choice ident follows on the 'building site' theme in the run up to the launch of BBC Three.
BBC Four Christmas 2002
A slight change to BBC Four's idents for Christmas. The audio in the background now has a Christmassy feel.
BBC3 Advert - Christmas 2005
~ Acknowledgements ~
BBC Television - http://www.bbc.co.uk