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Longest-running BBC idents

(November 2020)

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DD
DemonDays
As far as I know, Optics currently holds the distinction for the longest-serving ident on Network BBC2 (running, in total, for about 15 years - from 1992-2001 and 2014-2018).

This puts it just behind the original roster of BBC Four idents (e.g. Lake), the longest-serving idents on the BBC.

Silk achieved a fairly similar lifespan (1991-1999 and 2014-2018), whereas Fluffy Dog and Car (both 1993-2001 and 2014-2018) also endured for a significant amount of time.

It's funny, really. I wouldn't have banked on BBC2's longest-serving corporate ident being Optics. It's always been a bit of a workhorse, though.

BTW, does anyone know what the first BBC2 ident of the new millennium was? Was it Excalibur?
Last edited by DemonDays on 28 November 2020 12:58am
AN
Ant
The BBC Learning Zone acorn ident must be up there - 1997 to 2015 I think. Amazing it lasted so long really - the very dated web browser was always a nice throwback although I think the ident was shortened at some point?
MW
Mike W
Ant posted:
The BBC Learning Zone acorn ident must be up there - 1997 to 2015 I think. Amazing it lasted so long really - the very dated web browser was always a nice throwback although I think the ident was shortened at some point?

Along with the May 97 dated clapperboard with the actual directors' name on it; only shown in the long ident - I think they would occasionally still show the long ident, certainly towards the end.

It's just a shame they binned it off, I always liked it. If the browser screenshot was removed or replaced I think it would have aged very well!

It did demonstrate the robustness of the original 1997 design, the logo, the fault caption and the menus all just worked... It makes me smile to think that all of those elements were physically moved and either recreated as close as they could be or wholesale just ported over to different playout areas.
LW
LWTfan1968
As far as I know, Optics currently holds the distinction for the longest-serving ident on BBC2 (running, in total, for about 15 years - from 1992-2001 and 2014-2018).

This puts it just behind the original roster of BBC Four idents (e.g. Lake), the longest-serving idents on the BBC.

Silk achieved a fairly similar lifespan (1991-1999 and 2014-2018), whereas Fluffy Dog and Car (both 1993-2001 and 2014-2018) also endured for a significant amount of time.

It's funny, really. I wouldn't have banked on BBC2's longest-serving corporate ident being Optics. It's always been a bit of a workhorse, though.

BTW, does anyone know what the first BBC2 ident of the new millennium was? Was it Excalibur?


What about Paint? It lasted from 1991-2001 (last ident shown on network bbc two) and then 2014-2018 (last ident shown in i believe NI).

Also I think it was Excalibur, but don't quote me on that, because Two probably closed down after midnight, and the new idents wouldn't of debuted till the morning.
DD
DemonDays
As far as I know, Optics currently holds the distinction for the longest-serving ident on BBC2 (running, in total, for about 15 years - from 1992-2001 and 2014-2018).

This puts it just behind the original roster of BBC Four idents (e.g. Lake), the longest-serving idents on the BBC.

Silk achieved a fairly similar lifespan (1991-1999 and 2014-2018), whereas Fluffy Dog and Car (both 1993-2001 and 2014-2018) also endured for a significant amount of time.

It's funny, really. I wouldn't have banked on BBC2's longest-serving corporate ident being Optics. It's always been a bit of a workhorse, though.

BTW, does anyone know what the first BBC2 ident of the new millennium was? Was it Excalibur?


What about Paint? It lasted from 1991-2001 (last ident shown on network bbc two) and then 2014-2018 (last ident shown in i believe NI).

Also I think it was Excalibur, but don't quote me on that, because Two probably closed down after midnight, and the new idents wouldn't of debuted till the morning.

Perhaps a bit daft of me to forget to specify Network. Ahem.

OK, thanks Smile

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