BBC Two (19/11/2001 - 18/2/2007)

November 2001 saw the first major relaunch of the BBC2 Identity for over 10 years. Out were the multiple themed idents, in favour of computer animations of a 2 against a slightly garish but more consistently applied yellow background. Added to that was now a purple box, and a set of signature notes to identify the channel. Despite the changes, some things did remain, namely the same stylised 2 as the previous look, just with a variety of new twists applied to it including an attempt to make it into more of a robotic character... sometimes!

BBC Two (Fish - First Look) - 2001

Monday morning on the 19th November, and the first sighting of the new ident. There was no special announcement though on this first showing, possibly due to it being used to lead into Children's programming when the BBC thought none of us grown-ups would be watching...


BBC Two (Bounce) - 2001

Another ident from the new batch in November 2001. This time with the 2 bouncing around the screen.


BBC Two (Domino) - 2001

A third ident shown on the first day of the new look. This time featuring the two's all being knocked over in a domino effect - Well, sort of!


BBC Two (Missing Logo) - 2001

The fourth of the new idents(there were 4 in total in the original set). This time the BBC Two logo is missing, so the character has to turn around a card with it on. This is the shorter version, as all the new idents have a long and short version. This ident was later put to good use with the launches of both BBC Four and BBC Three, which were both simulcast on BBC Two.


BBC Two (Dirty Mark) - 2002

A fifth new ident introduced later, in early 2002. This time the 2 has to clear a mark off the screen...


BBC Two (Invisible Walls) - 2002

Another new 2002 ident. This time the BBC2 character moves in and out of some invisible walls... as you do!


BBC Two (Drip) - 2002

A third new 2002 ident. Here the character tries to avoid being hit by drips of water!


BBC Two (Bounce V2) - 2002

Shortly after the launch of the original set in November 2001, it was decided that they didn't have an ident suitable for sombre and serious programming. Rather than come up with a new ident, the existing version of Bounce was edited to include an alternative 'serious' soundtrack.


BBC Two (Fish V2) - 2002

Another 2nd version of an original ident. The designers obviously decided that the original Fish version didnt look right, as the 2 character was backwards for most of the ident (see first new look pic). Hence, a few months later, they flipped it round, and it would appear the original was withdrawn.


BBC Two (Remote Control) - 2002

One of 2 brand new idents introduced in Summer 2002. In this one, the 2 character has acquired a useful remote control.


BBC Two (Circus) - 2002

The other Summer 2002 ident. This time there's lots of 2 characters, doing circus acrobatics.


BBC Two (The Big Read) - 2003

A special new ident introduced in 2003, to promote the BBC's 'The Big Read' event.


BBC Two (Drum) - 2004

Complete with special Channel of the Year branding for 2003 here, in this ident the 2 bounces around in time to a Reggae Drum. First introduced as part of a special season on the channel, this was subsequently kept in regular rotation. Concerns over the 2 appearing backwards that had led to the re-editing of 'Fish' had clearly been dropped again by this point.


BBC Two (40 Years) - 2004

A special ident brought out for the 40th Birthday of BBC2. Basically it features the 'Invisible Walls' ident, but with a montage of past BBC2 idents projected onto the 2s as they float past.


BBC Two (Sticker) - 2004

In this yellow ident, the 2 character attempts to stick the purple BBC Two box on the screen... only for it to become attached to him instead.


BBC Two (Paintbrush) - 2004

First introduced in late 2002 and shown here in 2004, the considerably less famous 'Paint' ident for BBC Two. Here the 2 character paints a numeral on the screen using a pot of purple paint, before turning it into a face.


BBC Two (Menu) - 2003

A short run-down menu of evening shows on BBC Two, using clips from the 'Circus' ident to break between different programmes.


BBC Two (Menu) - 2004

A slightly different menu from 2004 on BBC Two, this time cross-promoting things on multiple channels, without using an ECP.


BBC Two (Promo) - 2004

A 2004 promo for BBC Two... but with the BBC One box making a brief cameo appearance to cross promote a show on the other side.


BBC Two (BBCi Learning Zone Promo) - 2004

A short promo coming out of the BBC Two Learning Zone programming in 2004 to direct people towards their website for further resources. At this point in time, the BBC were still experimenting with the fairly unmemorable 'BBCi' for all their interactive outlets, website included.


BBC Two (Promo) - 2005

'Coast' has probably become best known as the BBC's go-to filler programme for when there's a gap in the schedule with edited length episodes used to fill gaps until they can get back on schedule. A trailer here from earlier times though, from before the first series when it was still a collection of full programmes.


BBC Two (New Season Promo) - 2005

The 'New on Two' tagline makes another of its periodical reappearances in this 2005 promo on BBC Two.


BBC Two (Learning Zone) - 2005

BBC Learning Zone, originally titled The Learning Zone, launched in 1995 using space overnight on BBC Two. The BBC Learning Zone branding followed with the overall corporate rebrand in 1997, and ended up as one of the longest remaining original pieces of the Lambie-Nairn branding to still be broadcast by the time the service was discontinued in 2015. An example here opening a night's programming from 2005.


BBC Two (Learning Zone - Menu) - 2005

A menu from the BBC Learning Zone strand, giving a rundown on the programmes to feature on BBC Two that night.


Acknowledgements

×

Video Player Title

Transmission Date:

Original Channel:

Official Name:

Filmed:

Added:

Video Courtesy Of:

Info Courtesy Of:

Download Main Video File

Retrieving from the archive...

P---