The missing ident: C4 1998

In 1996 the original style C4 idents were ditched in favour of the "connections" circles, which although quite original, failed to gain the stature of it's predecessor.

In 1999 the squares and stripes were launched to a much better reception, then relaunched in 2000 and 2002.

But what about the autumn of 1998. I can't of dreamt it. For one week C4 had a brand new set of idents and an associated break bumper, which appears to be logged no where on the net.

The concept of the ident was simple - a C4 celeb just staring at the camera. The image was shrunk into a grid and appears alongside out of focus versions of other celebs. The C4 logo - in a circle - then appeared on the right hand side in around the same place as the current square. For short idents, just the grid was used.

I thought these idents were actually quite good and an improvement on their predeccessors - however C4 didn't agree.

After a week they were revamped so the ident ended not with the grid, but with the picture becoming out of focus and the C4 logo (in a circle) appearing in the centre. The short idents and break bumpers remained for a while, but soon the C4 "connections" circles replaced them as well.

I can't be the only one who remembers this. I can't be the only one who liked it. Someone must have it!

Also, talking of short lived idents, the Continuity Booth have shown us versions of idents that never made it on to screen. Anyone have any info about other idents that we never saw?

I do remember the ident you are on about, I thought they were used for Christmas, which I though explained the short time use, I remember a Denise Van Outen for some bizzare reason.

Though I think one of the best Channel 4 did was in 1995/6 not too long before the coloured blocks were ditched and they had celebrities, saying something like This is Channel 4, but in a sarcastic way, with them standing infront of several glass cubes with the 4 spinning, but the focus was on the celeb, my favourite being one with David Hyde Pierce (Niles from Frasier) where he comes up and says: "You're watching Channel 3" then looks behind them and notices the 4's, and he then walks off in shame just saying "Oh." Now that was funny.

But apparently someone said that they made a John Leslie ident for the ITV1 idents last year, but for obvious reasons it didn't get shown. (If they made one) There was also another unused hearts ident which I think Asa uploaded, which was the same really, but the background was different, as there were no spinning hearts, I think you can download it from MHP Private Parts. There are also the IT* Generic idents which wern't shown, but you can download the Granada, UTV, TVS and TSW off the net. And I think that Ballistixx made some unused Granada idents, such as an ident for The Manchester Commonwealth Games, but I think there are caps of them on The TV Room, but I can't think of anymore.

Oh yeah I remember the short lived idents of Channel 4. I didnt know that they only ran for a week though! They had a little nice tune to them too.

Im sure Ive got one on tape somewhere. It was around the same time that Light Lunch bacme Late Lunch and was on tuesday, wednesday & thursday at 6 before hollyoaks. I recorded all of these Late Lunches, and Im sure Ive got one of these preceeding and the brake bumper. I shall have a look!

I didn't dream it then. Don't know about Denise, but Johnny Vaughan certainly had one.

There are definitely screen caps of some of these idents on the internet somewhere. I'm sure they're on a popular TV website. Can't remember though.

Who's the bloke with the bald egg head, thick black rimmed glasses and he's a comedian. Is it Benny Hill? If so - I think he featured in one also.

P.S - I really think that name is wrong.

Harry Hill I believe your after. Benny Hill would have been dead when these were created. Harry Hill is now on itv1 with the all new harry hill show and harry hill's tv burp (returning soon!).

Benny Hill is famour for his comical speeded chases involving half naked women and him running along in a super fast pace to some comical music!

That's it! Benny Hill was the closest I could think of.

Here's the one I was talking about:
http://thetvroom.com/p-ch4-1996.shtml

It wasnt that. It was similar to this where they spoke. But then they became a tiny coloured blurred box as the 4 circled logo appeared as music played. I think!

http://ben-hale.co.uk/files/c41.jpg
http://ben-hale.co.uk/files/c42.jpg
http://ben-hale.co.uk/files/c43.jpg

That would be the short lived style then. There is a full video somewhere on the MHP Private Parts, but I couldn't find that lurking in the depths of my hard drive I'm affraid.

Thats the one well done! Im trying to find my tape with it on, I have a feeling that my sister has nicked that one and recorded over it too!

Yep - that's the one! Anyone know why they were withdrawn?