BBC1 Christmas

I noticed - after The Royal Variety Performance on BBC ONE - that we have the return of the "dark" Christmas advert - with most of the words removed from the song.

Edit: Actually, I think it was the same as the original version (original version - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Mrb93LpEnU).

I think it was the same - apparently it finishes its run today anyway.

I see. Thanks for the info.

You took the words out of my mouth, as much as I prefer th idents to be on longer. Remember the dark days of 1990 when the BBC Christmas idents only lsted for 3 days and didn't debut until the evening of Christmas Eve? But this is too soon they should debut them on Decembe 22nd to give you that 'it's nearly Christmas' feel.

Personally I don't care when they air so long as its not mid-November I'm not fussed. Hope there's more variety this year though instead of just kids carrying baubles - baubles carrying kids - kids walking on tree - tree walking round kids... oh I don't know.

Any news about BBC2 - I'm guessing by the lack of news, Roly is playing Scrooge for a second time...

BBC2 are going to use last year's ident again - probably because they've spent too much money on the new idents for next year.... but why are you so worried, Simon, when you've got your model of the 1982 BBC 2 Christmas ident to enjoy?

I agree that the 16th is ridiculously early, but would like to see a Christmas ident first appear on the 21st, St Thomas's Day, the traditional day for the start of Christmas festivities. I also think that there should be either a change to the Christmas ident, or a new ident altogether, for New Year, with that ident being last shown on 6 January.

I'm not sure that the Christmas idents will launch on Saturday. As I've already said, the trail for Born Equal which airs on Sunday has a plain endboard and usually trails shown during the ident period have a sparkly endboard. They did last year and they did in 2004 and they had illuminated snowflakes in 2003. I think it will be Tuesday 19th or Monday 18th.

ive seen that trailer too and i thought the same thing. this saturday would be obscenely early. i think a primetime
monday 18th launch is early enough, and now most likely.

It's still too early, especially as there is very little "Christmas" programming in the schedules till the end of next week.

I used to hate waiting but the idents launching on Christmas Eve were part of Christmas. A couple of days earlier is acceptable, but last year was far too early. Friday 22nd December would be best - especially as most schools don't even break up until then.

They will launch this Saturday - unsuprisingly the "one execution" for BBC One apparently follows the "same theme" as the new idents.