BBC One

Background

The British Broadcasting Company, Ltd. was founded in London on Wednesday 18 October 1922 and became a commercial radio broadcaster licensed by the British General Post Office. On Saturday 1 January 1927, the company was granted a Royal Charter and was renamed the British Broadcasting Corporation (commonly abbreviated to BBC). The BBC commenced experimental television broadcasts on 22 August 1932, using a 30-line system developed by John Logie Baird, the inventor of the television. It officially launched the world's first regular high-definition television service at 3pm on 2 November 1936, broadcasting from Alexandra Palace in London. The service initially used two systems - the Baird 240-line system, and the 405-line system developed by Marconi-EMI (named after Guglielmo Marconi, inventor of the radio). From February 1937, only the 405-line system was used. The service was suspended upon the outbreak of World War II on 1 September 1939, and resumed on 7 June 1946. Transmissions switched to a new site at Crystal Palace on March 28, 1956, and the service was renamed BBC One on 20 April 1964 when BBC Two was launched.

BBC 1

Contents 1st ID (April 18, 1966-July 6, 1968) 2nd ID (July 7, 1968-November 14, 1969) 3rd ID (November 15, 1969-December 27, 1974, January 9, 2006-April 10, 2007) 4th ID (December 28, 1974-September 4, 1981) 5th ID (September 5, 1981-February 17, 1985, October 23, 2012) 6th ID (Computer Originated World) (February 18, 1985-February 15, 1991) 7th ID (Virtual Globe) (February 16, 1991-October 3, 1997)

BBC One

Contents 1st ID (Balloon) (October 4, 1997-March 28, 2002) 2nd ID (Rhythm & Movement) (March 29, 2002-October 6, 2006) 3rd ID (Circle) (October 7, 2006-December 31, 2016) 4th ID (Oneness) (January 1, 2017-April 30, 2020, July 18, 2021-April 1, 2022) 5th ID (April 30, 2020-July 18, 2021) 6th ID (Lens) (December 4-31, 2021, April 1, 2022-)

Unused Logos

Contents   ID (1990-1991?)

BBC 1

1st ID (April 18, 1966-July 6, 1968)

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Visuals: On a background is a rotating earth globe cutting a grey and white stripe. At the bottom are four slanted boxes with word "B B C" on the first, second and third box, and a number "1" on the fourth box.

Variants:

• There is a prototype variant of this logo, in which there is one large white stripe instead of three in the later version; this was seen from April to June 1966.
• Accompanying clock variant: Same as the regular variant, except the globe has been removed, replaced by a simple white clock design with three thin hands.
• Christmas 1967: The globe is replaced with a candle. "Christmas BBC1" appears instead of the BBC1 blocks and snowflake tinsel appears on the top and the bottom.

Technique: Live-action.

Audio: None, or a voiceover. At closedown, the British national anthem is played.

Availability: Seen on BBC1 right up until 1968. The prototype version itself was only seen from it's introduction right up until June 1966.

2nd ID (July 7, 1968-November 14, 1969)

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Visuals: Pretty much the same as the last logo, only the globe model is now different, and a white stripe is at the bottom of the logo, with a black BBC 1 logo.

Variants:

• A slightly modified variant was introduced in the Summer of 1969.
• Christmas 1968: The ident is unknown, but in a trailer package a giant snowflake replaces the globe. The BBC1 logo is inverted.

Technique: Live-action.

Audio: See above.

Availability: Used on BBC1 from this time period. The 1969 variant was only used from the summer of 1969 right up until the introduction of the next ident.

3rd ID (November 15, 1969-December 27, 1974, January 9, 2006-April 10, 2007)

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Visuals: On a black background, a globe with glowing blue continents slowly rotates as it casts the images of continents on the other side of the world onto the wall behind it. Underneath the globe is "BBC 1 COLOUR" written in blue (with the word "COLOUR" in the Helvetica typeface).

Trivia: This logo, along with the subsequent two ones, were animated via the NODD system. Designed by BBC engineer Murray Andrew, the process is as follows:

• Throughout the day, a team of continuity announcers take turns to sit in a room (referred to as the NODD room), filled with numerous presentation devices such as clocks, holding slides, among others, arranged atop and beside each other.
• A monochrome camera with a nodding mechanism is installed in front of these devices. It was remote controlled. The continuity announcer presses a button that corresponds to the presentation device to be used on air, and the camera moves accordingly.
• The colour was added electronically down the line. This was in order to save expenses on re-branding in the long term.
• The ident itself was a box 12"x9" inches, corresponding to the standard 4:3 aspect ratio used at the time. The globe itself was a small hollow ball, internally lit with a 10V festoon bulb inserted on top. The background was achieved by placing a concave mirror behind the globe. The channel ID was a transparently lit from behind, making it easily interchangeable. Normally, mechanical presentation devices such as clocks were illuminated by the lamp on the NODD camera, but this would have caused the globe's reflection to distort on screen. So an internal light source was used. Both the globe light and the ident light could be adjusted by two separate controls at the back of the device. The land masses on the globe were clear areas, while black metallic paint represented the sea. Apparently the heat from the bulb frequently caused the paint to peel, so regular touch-ups were often required to ensure the continents maintained the "correct shapes" (the logo could look subtlety different from time to time, due to this). And those numerous small "islands" in the mirror globe were actually part of the design and not caused by flaking paint or dust, as one might assume.

Variants:

• Starting in 1972, the word "COLOUR" was in an oblique serif typeface, and the BBC boxes were rounded.
• A variant from circa 1971/1972 had the BBC logo with rounded edges but with "COLOUR" in the Helvetica typeface. This was probably the first appearance of the 1971/1972 BBC logo.
• For junctions in-between BBC school programmes during 1969-1972, a different NODD globe was used. This variant lacked the "COLOUR" caption, and was shown in monochrome, since school programming was still filmed in monochrome until 1972.
• Accompanying clock variant: An analogue clock face with the hours being represented by 2 bars, getting thicker for each hour. The hands are attached to a ring with a black circle in the centre, though the second hand poked through. This clock was used from 1969-72; later variants feature an oblique serif typeface to typeset the word colour. It was actually a real clock and filmed at the correct time, often appearing just before the actual ident.
• In 2006-2007, this logo was revived for the introduction of TV series Life on Mars, which fittingly takes places in the 70s.

Christmas Variants:

• Christmas 1969: This variant had a different globe with geographical contours, similar to the later COW globe. Also, instead of the usual reflection, there are holographic snowflakes in the background. Text saying "Christmas in Colour" appears on the top of the stripe, with BBC 1 on the bottom.
• Christmas 1970: The same as the last variant, but the ticker on the bottom says "Christmas on BBC1".
• Christmas 1971: Same as the last variant, but the text appears to be longer.
• Christmas 1972: No known footage is known to exist at the moment (Although according to TV Ark, it's the same as the previous version), but the clock has been found. Ribbons surround the clock, with "CHRISTMAS COLOUR" on the bottom.
• Christmas 1973: A group of carol singers rotates about on a turntable. The caption "Christmas on BBC1" appears on the bottom, in a ribbon-styled font.
• Christmas 1974: Same as the 1971/1972 ident.

Local Variants:

• For BBC Yorkshire, then known as BBC North, a large drum with 4 copies of the symbol at the time (An abstract "N" with a triangle in it) rotates in place of the BBC globe. The text is also changed accordingly.
• For BBC Northern Ireland/BBC NI, a large, abstract "NI" appears in place of the logo. A version with a blue background and white logo is known to exist.
• Other networks also usually replaced the globe with their own symbol and name, usually still, alongside the national globe.

Technique: Live-action.

Audio: Again, see 1st logo.

Availability: Still seen as part of various gags on Monty Python's Flying Circus, as well as preserved by TV enthusiasts.

4th ID (December 28, 1974-September 4, 1981)

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Visuals: Same as the previous logo, but this time, the background is dark blue, and the glowing continents are yellow. Also, below is the white text "BBC 1" in the Futura typeface.

Variants:

• Sometime in 1978, the ident was slightly modified, with a new globe used. The distance between the "BBC 1" and the globe is larger, and the globe model is different.
• On at least one occasion, the text is the same yellow as the globe. This may have been an error with the electronic colouring process used for the NODD system.
• Accompanying clock variant: Whilst mostly similar to the previous variant, it corresponds to the then-current colour scheme. The clock is yellow with a blue background. The BBC 1 caption appears at the bottom, this time with no line above it.
• In "The Goodies" (1970-1982) episode "Earthanasia", at the end of the episode when the world explodes, the globe spins normally then also explodes, leaving the logo and blue background intact. It is also redone, since the "BBC1" logo is yellow instead of white.

Christmas Variants:

• • Christmas 1975: Same as 1974's globe, save for the new Christmas BBC1 legend incorporating the new twin-striped BBC1 logo. (BBC 1's logos were inconsistent at this time.)
  • Christmas 1976: A giant revolving snowflake (not unlike those hanging ones one can buy for their tree) temporarily replaces the globe with a festive red background behind it. The bottom caption states "Christmas/BBC 1", with "Christmas" in a Blackletter Gothic font and "BBC 1" in a striped font (like the next logo). A companion clock was also created.
  • Christmas 1977: A Christmas pudding (black sphere with ice on top) takes its place in front of the concave mirror with a sprig of holly atop. The background is black with melting ice on top. The same caption from 1976 was used.
  • Christmas 1978: A double-faced Santa revolves around on top of "CHRISTMAS" written in a bended, red serif font, and the BBC1 striped logo below.
  • Christmas 1979: A group of Victorian carol singers stand between two low brick walls, and weirdly rotate about. The byline on the bottom states "CHRISTMAS BBC 1" in a golden serif font.
  • Christmas 1980: Four Victorian skaters whiz around a snowman. There are daytime and nighttime variants of this ident too. The mechanical model is bigger than it looks and takes up a whole coffee table.
  • Christmas 1980 (Scotland): The globe model is almost invisible with only the continents showing. cel-animated snowflakes decorate the lighter blue background.

Local Variants:

• • In Wales, the text is stacked to the right of it, and has the name in both English and Welsh.
  • In Northern Ireland, the same NI symbol from before makes a return, but coloured white like the rest of the logo.
  • In the Midlands, the logo was briefly replaced the globe with a rotating version of their "Ribbon M" logo before being standardised.
  • Much like BBC Midlands, Yorkshire/North had the logo recoloured and the text reading " BBC 1 NORTH as well for about a year.

Technique: Live-action.

Audio: See the 1st logo.

Availability: Seen on BBC1 until the introduction of the next logo. The variant where the globe explodes was only seen seen at the end of The Goodies episode "Earthanasia".

5th ID (September 5, 1981-February 17, 1985, October 23, 2012)

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Visuals: Same as the previous logo, but this time, "BBC 1" is stylised, and the continents are now green.

Variants:

• On the ident's first two days, the blue was a very dark navy, and the continents were pale yellow-green. This was due to a severe problem with the colour scheme. Also, for its first nine months, the ident was modified a few times.
• A variant has an unusual form in which the globe shows an optical illusion. Shown only on Tomorrow's World. This variant is nicknamed "The Brain Globe".
• For the BBC's 60th Anniversary in 1982, instead of usual text "BBC1", the lower part shows a parallelogram with the number "60" and at the right was the word "BBC Years" in a script font.
• Another variation exists to celebrate 60 Years of Children's Programming. The number "60" is in Blippo typeface, as are the stacked words "BBC YEARS". At the right of the "6" is a green balloon.
• To celebrate the 1984 Olympic Games, there is a variation where the reflection was absent, and replaced by the Olympic Rings in orange, with the globe contained in the top centre of the ring, also orange.
• On 23 October 2012, this logo was revived in Northern Ireland to mark both its digital switchover and the end of the analogue television era in the UK.
• Accompanying clock variant: From 5 September to approximately December 1981, the clock was similar to the 69/74 clock, aside from the colours and the new striped byline. After this, a new computerised clock was introduced with minor changes to the design. The central dot, for example, changed from a circular outline to a green dot. Wales continued to use the old mechanical clock regionally till the very end.

Christmas Variants:

• Christmas 1981: Five globes are in the form of five coloured baubles (orange, blue, purple, pink and green) with white landmasses.
• Christmas 1982: A giant white snowflake shines and animates with a "BBC1" caption in the centre.
• Christmas 1982 (Scotland): A festive decorative cylinder with Christmas pictures on it rotates slowly with the mirror on the back casting the images. BBC1 Scotland in the usual striped font appears below.
• Christmas 1983: A giant holographic snowflake shines in rainbow-colours with a "BBC1" caption in the centre. Was accompanied by a snowflake clock.
• Christmas 1983 (Scotland): A glass table of sorts rotates with tinsel on the bottom and top as it's reflected through the mirrors. BBC Scotland is seen below in the usual striped font.
• Christmas 1984: Two Snowmen and a Snowwoman armed with Christmas crackers welcome the festive season as they rotate on a turntable. This ident has daytime, evening, nighttime and midnight idents. On its last transmission, however, a full moon was shown in the background. On top is the word "BBC1" written in a casual font on a red/blue stain.
• Christmas 1984 (Scotland): Three square-shaped prisms in red with green stripes rotate on a table as they're reflected on the mirror. BBC Scotland appears in neon red below.
• Christmas 1984 (Wales): There is BBC Wales written in a bold red font similar to the 1974-81 version. Instead of the globe, a kaleidoscope in the shape of a snowflake animates above while Christmas lights on the left and right of the screen twinkle. An adapted clock was also used, which was simply the standard clock but with images of the same snowflakes below.

Local Variants:

• Much like the previous logo, legends for the regional variants exist, though they're mostly now in a green computerised font with some exceptions. (Like Midlands and East Midlands having theirs in a lowercase script font. The former is green, and the latter's white.)
• One Scottish variant has the "1" omitted from "BBC1" and the word "SCOTLAND" below placed between two horizontal lines.

Technique: Live-action.

Audio: See the 1st logo.

Availability: Used by BBC1 right up until 1985.

Final Note

This logo was retired due to the fact that it was the only live mechanical model used by BBC1 by 1984, and the regular maintenance and calibration required was making it tiring and a hassle to use; even this logo could not help much in soothing common difficulties such as bad positioning, odd colours, etc. The globe was also becoming old-fashioned, due to its long service since the invention of colour, as well as the CGI revolution, which ironically began with sister channel BBC2, with their stripped "2" ident. The NODD system was abandoned with the globe, as all idents and clocks were now electronically generated. Programme slides remained the exception; they were still optically developed until the late 1980s when the programme slides became electronically generated with the Quantel Paintbox. The logo's last appearance was 5:35pm on Monday 18 February, introducing a new series of Grange Hill. London viewers would see it one more time, before London Plus at 6:35pm.

6th ID (Computer Originated World) (February 18, 1985-February 15, 1991)

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Visuals:

• Station ID: On a solid black background, a computer-generated, semi-transparent blue globe with golden landmasses slowly spins around at a steady pace throughout, and has the effect of a spotlight added to the surface. The planet being partially transparent as one can see the shadows of the continents on the other side of the world through the water. Underneath the globe, "BBC 1" is written in a gold serif font, similar to that used in the early days of the BBC.
• Accompanying clock ident: The same basic clock from December 1981, with new blue and gold colours, as well as the serif caption. Note the lack of a centre dot. This was never corrected during the clock's run nationally, although regional variants have a central dot.

Trivia: Work on this logo began in 1983, in response to the revolutionary Channel 4 idents, as well as a desire to update the channel's image. It was a mammoth task combining the efforts of BBC Computer Graphics, Graphic Design and the Designs Departments. The COW was generated by a black box containing several circuit boards. Each board carried one layer of the animation - the BBC1 logo, blue background etc., with switches to input various captions when needed. These boxes were delivered to all eleven regions and installed before Christmas 1984. Their output had an aspect ratio of 5:4 and was cropped for transmission to 4:3. It first appeared at 7pm on Monday 18 February. Originally it was planned to be launched on 1 January 1985, but the launch was deferred to coincide with radical changes to the BBC1 schedule. See this link for technical information.

Variants:

• There was a rare variation in 1986 to introduce special coverage of Halley's Comet in 1986. In this variation, when the globe almost finishes its spin, the screen zooms in on the globe.
• Regional variations also included a legend with the region name, also in gold, below the BBC1 legend.
• Shows with Ceefax subtitles have a caption "CEEFAX 170" below the BBC1 caption, also in the same gold font. Beginning in April 1985, this was changed to "CEEFAX 888".
• On the 29 March 1985, for the junction linking to The Day the Earth Stood Still, the globe stops after a while.
• Children in Need variants:
  • 1987 - The globe is replaced with a plush toy of Pudsey Bear, the mascot of Children In Need.
  • 1988 - Same as the previous version, but the turntable Pudsey is sitting on moves slower, and when the toy faces the camera, it stops.
  • 1989 - An animated Pudsey Bear waves to the viewers while wearing a red paper crown and holding a red balloon with the number 10 on it, to celebrate the 10th annual edition of the fundraiser.
• Comic Relief variants
  • 1988 - The globe is seen as usual, then a red nose is attached to it, and the BBC1 affix is covered over with a piece of paper reading "Comic Relief".
  • 1989 - The globe spins as an inanimate cel-animated red nose is attached to it with black string.
• There is also an Open University variant.
• Another variant exists when the globe stops its spin for the introduction of The Day the Earth Stood Still. Also, one variant has the globe doing unusual tricks.
• On See For Yourself presentation, "87" replaces the "1" in BBC 1, and then the screen zooms in on the globe.
• Another Comic Relief variant has a red nose being planted on Africa, and the BBC1 logo covered with a Comic Relief banner just before the evening telethon.
• The BBC World Service used a version of this logo from 1991 until 1995, in which words "BBC1" were replaced with a small BBC logo (with lines below each box) and the words "WORLD SERVICE" appearing below.

Christmas Variants:

• Christmas 1985: This ident had the new "BBC1" logo in a snowy landscape with a robin sitting on it fluttering its wings, with another robin rotating around the logo. Two versions were made: one for daytime and one for nighttime. This was the last mechanical ident produced for the channel. The ident was accompanied by hand animated promotional trails featuring the robins. The robins were infamously detonated by Noel Edmonds on his programme, The Late Late Breakfast Show, on 4 January 1986.
• Christmas 1985 (Scotland): The COW is replaced with a rotating gift box in the shape of the globe. The box is covered in streamers and wrapping paper. The rest of the ident is the same as the regular one.
  • For the Hogmanay celebrations, the normal ident has some decoration to the left and right of the COW, featuring holly, bells and berries.
• Christmas 1985 (Wales): There is some church windows depicting the Nativity, as snow falls on the outside. This ident was cel-animated, unlike the national and Scottish networks, which were models.
• Christmas 1986: A cel-animated scene depicting a smiling Christmas tree in a forest with holly dancing around it is seen, with a yellow BBC1 covered in snow in the middle of it. The ident was designed by a viewer following a CBBC contest.
• Christmas 1986 (Scotland): Just the regular COW Globe ident, but with small stars around it, making it look like a night sky. Most likely the least Christmassy Christmas ident ever done by the BBC.
• Christmas 1986 (Wales): The COW globe was replaced with a snow-covered church. A Christmas wreath shows where the COW globe would have been. Three variants were made, Daytime, Nighttime and a completely dark version. The clock was also imposed onto the footage at closedown. As before, this was another cel-animated ident.
• Christmas 1987: Another cel-animated ident depicts a graphic reading BBC Christmas 1 made up of various Christmas motifs such as various presents, a candle, holly and ribbons. The short animation was designed to tie into the end of promotions. Promotional style featured a panning view into a child's nursery, before a bag falls, pouring out streamers and ribbons. This streamer animation would be played at the end of the promotion to link into the ident. It was designed by Bernard Newnham.
• Christmas 1987 (Wales): There is a church window with a snowy view depicting an outside Christmas Tree, done in a watercolour animation style. The usual BBC1 Wales caption appears below.
• Christmas 1987 (Northern Ireland): The Northern Island team went with a more simple concept, instead of an animated sequence, there is a rotating cake depicting a snowy scene, featuring some trees and a house. The text "BBC1 Northern Ireland" ("Northern Ireland" stacked next to "BBC1") appears stamped to the bottom two times, with the other one having 2 pieces of holly stamped on the left and right.
• Christmas 1987 (Scotland): An animated sequence tree is seen in the middle of a blue background in a circle. Then the text "CHRISTMAS ON" and "BBC1 SCOTLAND" appear in a circle around the tree in the circle, then the rest of the blue background turns different colours.
  • For Hogmanay, the same ident was used, albeit with "CHRISTMAS" replaced with "HOGMANAY".
• Christmas 1988: A partridge flies onto a mountain of pears and sits on them, with the BBC1 logo superimposed on top. Two versions were made: one for daytime and one for nighttime. At the end of each day the partridge would fly away again.
• Christmas 1988 (Wales): The COW globe is replaced with a snow globe, featuring a Christmas tree and a snowman reading a newspaper. BBC1 Wales appears below as usual.
• Christmas 1988 (Scotland): A spinning music box opens revealing a spinning tree inside and a BBC1 typeface. On the front side "Scotland" is seen in a cursive font.
  • For Hogmanay, the tree is replaced with a bell.
• Christmas 1989: The globe is a spinning top, spinning at the bottom of a Christmas tree with a ribbon around with the BBC1 logo on it. Again linked in with end promotions, which would link in by means of a toy train passing in front of the screen.
• Christmas 1989 (Scotland): A Christmas tree is seen spinning with a shining star on top. "BBC1 Scotland" appears through a flipping effect. This is possibly one of the last mechanical idents EVER to be used on UK television. A still version is also used with the tree covered in snow.
  • For Hogsmanay, the tree is replaced with a candle, all covered in pinecones and holly, while the "BBC1 Scotland" text rotates from a 90 degree angle on the left.
• Christmas 1989 (Wales): A CGI-animated spinning top spins and spins for 20 seconds while pictures of Rudolphs, Santas, and penguins appear on the top. Then afterwards, the top zooms in and the BBC1 Wales/Cymru logo (in the same typeface as the normal idents) appears on the bottom. BBC2 used the exact same ident that year as well, but with a daytime background and a different logo.
• Christmas 1990: The globe appears superimposed on a face on the cover of a pop-up book about magic. The introduction sequence and promotions all featured the book opening and a wizard dancing around casting magic upon a variety of objects, mostly timepieces, such as a large clock face and hourglass. This was the last Christmas ident not to use a BBC logo.
  • Hogsmanay 1990 (Scotland): BBC1 Scotland used the national ident that year, but for Hogsmanay a version of the COW was used: it's much bigger and a green party hat is on the top of it. The usual "BBC1 Scotland" text unusually appears on the top right, rather than the middle due to the size of the COW.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: See the first logo's description.

Availability: Seen on BBC1 right up until 1991.

• It can be found in the special features on the DVD of the Doctor Who serial "Survival".

Final Note

BBC1 ceased to use this logo in order to maintain a unified branding with BBC 2, which also switched to the 1991 "2" idents at the same time.

7th ID (Virtual Globe) (February 16, 1991-October 3, 1997)

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Visuals:

• Station ID: Same concept as before, except the globe is now on a space background and surrounded by a swirling smoky atmosphere, the stylised numeral "1" is in the centre and now big. The 1988 BBC logo appears at the bottom of the screen. This was also the final time BBC One was called "BBC 1".
• Accompanying clock ident:
  • This clock used the GNAT (Generator of Network Analogue Time) system, resulting in the clock mimicking the movement of an analogue clock by moving the minute hand every second, rather than every fifteen seconds as was found on previous station clocks. The counters on the clocks alternated between dots and dashes pointing towards the centre, a smoky static background and included the 1988 BBC logo at the bottom of the screen, although no on-screen reference to the channel being BBC1.
  • There were two variants of the clock design. The first variant, used from 16 February 1991 to mid-November 1991, had a larger design to fit the screen best, and looked more like a crystal ball. However, the size contrast between the clock and the globe resulted in difficulty at closedown, as the two do not fade easily. The second variant, used from mid-November 1991 to October 3, 1997, had a smaller clock (to allow a smoother transition to the globe) and had a brighter background.

Trivia: This logo was designed by Martin Lambie-Nairn, and was created by filming a physical sphere with the smoky effects added post-production. It was played out using modified Sony LaserDiscs, one announcer used to request the network director to spin the laserdisc to a specific point in this ident, red globe for comedy, blue for drama.

Variants:

• For programmes with Ceefax subtitles, the 888 caption appears in the top right corner.
• From August 31, 1991 until early 1995, the "Stereo" caption would also appear in the top left corner as well.
• On some occasions, the ident (and the accompanying clocks) would appear without the 1988 BBC logo.
• Regional legends appear whenever a local variant is used.

Christmas Variants:

• Christmas 1991: Similar to the normal ident but the figure ‘1’ is inside a rotating, icy coloured moon, with Father Christmas in his sleigh flying around it. When it introduced the film Batman (1989), the bat symbol was superimposed on top. The ident was accompanied by a simple four-note fanfare.
• Christmas 1992: A shining figure ‘1’ is at the bottom of a Christmas tree surrounded by various bouncing and moving toys. A photograph of HM The Queen was used at closedown because BBC deemed the ident "too jolly" to be used against the National Anthem.
• Christmas 1993: An icy figure ‘1’ is in a snowy landscape, with two polar bears and Father Christmas in his sleigh flying above it, which the bears watch. Two versions were made, one in day-time and one in night-time.
• Christmas 1994: The figure ‘1’ is a Christmas present with a snowman on either side tipping their hats. This ident was unusual in that it had three different variations. In the run up to and on Christmas Eve it was neatly wrapped, on Christmas Day it was unwrapped by the snowmen to reveal a shining gold numeral and on Boxing Day and onwards the wrapping remains had been removed to display the gold numeral ‘1’. The Christmas Day version was occasionally used on and after Boxing Day. Due to it also being deemed "too jolly" to be used against the National Anthem (as with the 1992 ident), the normal idents were used for closedown.
• Christmas 1995: The figure ‘1’ is on top of a Christmas tree in place of a star, with starry glitter surrounding it and a toy plane flying around it. In addition, a variation was made without the plane, which was used at closedown.
• Christmas 1996: A brown circular box is opened by two toys to reveal a gold figure ‘1’ inside on a bluish-purple sparkling cushion. A version without the toy figures and the rim of the box shines via sparkling effect, which was used for closedown and introduction into serious programming.
• Hogsmanay 1997 (Scotland): In a dimly lit room, 2 candles and some overhanging lights illuminate the BBC Scotland logo, which is an abstract representation of Scotland using 3 different parallelograms, one shorter than the other (This debuted with their news programme, Reporting Scotland, and is still used to this day in a modified form), and has them dressed in traditional Scottish garb; the top and bottom ones are male, and the middle is female.

Technique: CGI, directed by Daniel Barber at Lambie-Nairn.

Audio: See 1st logo. Christmas idents had music.

Availability: It can be found on old recordings of BBC1 programmes from 1991-1997.

BBC One

1st ID (Balloon) (October 4, 1997-March 28, 2002)

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  The balloon in 2023
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  The balloon gets inflated for the first time in 21 years at the Midlands Air Festival
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  What the balloon looks like from inside

Visuals:

• Station ID: Inside a scene depending on one of several locations (seen below), a globe-patterned balloon flies. The pattern of the globe uses a red colour for sea, and orange colour for the continent, and is complete with clouds. Superimposed at the bottom of the screen is the current BBC logo with the text "ONE" next to it, either fading in or appearing whenever the camera cuts to a new shot, depending on the variant.
• Accompanying clock ident: Like the previous clock, this used the GNAT system like before, but the minute hand moves every 15 seconds again, and the background appears to be the inside of the balloon. The BBC One logo is tacked on to the bottom of the screen as usual. When it was converted to widescreen in 1998, the minute hand moved every minute again, though some regions still had the previous version. It was retired when the logo was ditched, and thus is the last time a clock has been used.

Locations:

• Eilean Donan Castle, Scottish Highlands
• Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre, Glasgow
• Forth Rail Bridge, Edinburgh
• Dunluce Castle, Northern Ireland
• Strangford Lough, Northern Ireland
• Snowdonia National Park, Wales
• Cardiff City Hall, South Wales
• South Downs (Near Arundel), West Sussex
• Port of Felixstowe, Suffolk
• Cley next the Sea, Norfolk
• Swinside Stone Circle, Cumbria
• London Docklands (where not only is this officially the last ident used from this era, but the globe is also not in flight.)
• Angel of the North
• St Michael's Mount
• Second Severn Crossing
• Blackpool Tower
• The Needles, Isle of Wight

Variants:

• Like the previous logo, for programmes with Ceefax subtitles, the 888 caption appears in the top right. Beginning on July 1, 1999, this was changed to "Subtitles", following the uptake in digital television and the increased use of the new BBC Text service.
• Starting in December 1999 with that year's Christmas ident, the http://www.bbc.co.uk/ URL was put above the channel logo, and was added to all idents by June 2000.
• Beginning in 2000, there are new idents. The basic concept is same here, but features skateboarders, a busy market scene, a situation of bungee jumping, and a carnival.
• In 1999, a special edition was used when the balloon eclipsed the sunlight. This was due to a total solar eclipse of that year.
• There is a version for Walking with Dinosaurs where the balloon flew over a desert wasteland as a Polacanthus walks into view.
• Several variants were produced for The Ben Elton Show. A few examples include the balloon being chased by another balloon resembling a police vehicle, and the 2 from BBC Two's "Blade" ident slicing the balloon, causing it to deflate.
• For the celebration of UEFA Euro 2000, there is a variant where a goalkeeper spots the balloon, thinking that it is a football, and tries to catch it; unfortunately, this prevents him from saving the real football, which then hits the goal.
• Another variation has the balloon seen underwater by sharks. This was to promote the debut of The Blue Planet.
• The version for Walking with Beasts is similar to the Walking with Dinosaurs variant, but substitutes the Polacanthus and the valley with the land during an Ice Age and complete with snow and a population of woolly mammoths.
• To celebrate the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, a variation was used. It was nearly the same as the original version, but the balloon was seen flying above the Sydney Opera House, while an athlete shone a flaming torch in its direction.
• One variant took place inside the balloon, and the flame can clearly be seen going off like an explosion. It was seen before promos.
• To welcome the new CBBC channel in 2002, a green bug from that service's branding at the time peeks in for a bit.
• Still versions of some of the idents exist.
• Beginning in late 2001, the idents were shown in 14:9 on analogue, although they would still appear in 4:3 when introducing programmes produced in that ratio.

Christmas Variants:

• Christmas 1997: There are 4 variants, but most of these have a glowing yellow sphere on a red background, and a choir is singing:
  • 10 Lords A Leaping: Several lords appear bouncing on yellow space hoppers.
  • 8 Maids A Milking: A maid is seen balancing, with a bucket full of milk on her head.
  • 5 Gold Rings: An arm is spinning two golden rings.
  • A Partridge in a Pear Tree: A paper partridge is flying around the yellow sphere.
• Christmas 1998: On a white background with falling snow, a red bauble is seen on the centre of the screen. Sometimes, a reindeer or a couple of penguins are moving around. This, alongside the BBC Two ident, were the first two BBC Christmas idents to be produced in widescreen.
• Christmas 1999: On a night landscape of some pine trees, some auroras are seen in the sky, which takes the form of Santa Claus shaking a golden bell, with the BBC One globe on the side. This was the first Christmas ident in this ident package to feature the balloon globe.
• Christmas 2000: There is a view of Santa Claus dropping a present with a parachute. Then appears the complete scene of Santa Claus dropping presents all over the city, on the BBC One globe.
• Christmas 2001: Three toys interact and fly around a room as they float around on helium balloons, with a Christmas tree on the side. The camera moves to the window, where the BBC One globe is seen in the sky. The toys each represent something on the Christmas Day schedule. The dinosaur represents the terrestrial premiere of The Lost World: Jurassic Park. The Trotters Van represents the Only Fools and Horses episode "If They Could See Us Now", the first to air of the series since 1996, and the robot dog represents the terrestrial premiere of Toy Story. This ident package was produced by Aardman Animations.

Technique: Live-action, filmed using 16mm cameras with a helicopter used for aerial shots.

Audio: An ethereal ambience mostly consisting of a piano ditty. Several different variants were used, mostly changing the arrangement and other instruments involved with it. Many of them were done by Phil Sawyer. The British national anthem played at closedown until 9 November 1997, when BBC News 24 was launched.

Availability: These idents may be found on old recordings of BBC One programmes from 1997-2002.

Legacy: A very well known and beloved set of idents.

Final Note

This ident marked the end of the globe symbol which had been associated with the BBC since 1963. In 2023, the Bristol Balloon Collectors announced that the balloon, which is in their collection, would be restored and reinflated for a test flight in June of that same year at the Midlands Air Festival in Alcester, Warwickshire if they find the balloon to be in good enough condition to fly again. While the wind was too strong at the festival for the balloons to fly, the BBC One balloon still got inflated for the first time in 21 years at the event.

2nd ID (Rhythm & Movement) (March 29, 2002-October 6, 2006)

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Visuals: At a specific location, a type of dance or specific movement is shown depending on the variant. At the bottom-left of the screen is the BBC One logo, consisting of a red square with a small BBC logo, with ONE below it in a much larger font.

Trivia: A clock was designed for this series of idents, but was never transmitted.

Dances: These are some of the dances shown in the ident:

• Acrobat: Filmed in the Royal Horticultural Society Halls in Victoria, the ident shows three acrobat performers in white costumes, on red sashes (Aerial Silks) performing acrobatic tricks while suspended from the roof. This ident was also used frequently to introduce the news. The three aerial performers are Jane Osborn (left), Melissa Merran (centre), and Michele Laine (right).
• Ballet: Filmed at the Minack Theatre in Cornwall, the ident features ten ballerinas dressed entirely in red. The camera slowly tracks, showing the Minack stage where the ballerinas perform a graceful dance, with the dramatic Cornish coastline in the background. This ident sequence was the most sombre of all the idents, and a still of it was used when the BBC announced the death of the Queen Mother. For most of its life, this ident was used during times of "reflection" only, namely times of national tragedy and the death of a Royal Family member. It was mainly used to introduce coverage of funerals, such as those of Pope John Paul II and George Best.
• Bollywood: First broadcast on 8 November 2002, this ident features 9 males and 9 females dancing a traditional Indian dance, much like a Bollywood movie. The females wear red in this ident, while the males wear white.
• Capoeira: Filmed against the London skyline, it shows mestre poncianinho and contra-mestre casquinha doing Capoeira, a Brazilian martial art. The camera circles around two Capoeiristas throughout its duration. The two performers are dressed in red and white. An alternative edit, which joins the action a few seconds earlier than the standard version, was used in England, Wales and Scotland. This ident was usually used to introduce the news, but it was shown before The Italian Job (original 1969 film).
• Festival: Filmed at RAF Bovingdon, it begins with a close up of two women dancing together, somewhat resembling a rave party. Red takes on prominence in the background. Also known as "Rave".
• Haka: Filmed in a field in Wales, it first shows a closeup of a Māori native, Jo Hutley, and then pulls back to reveal 14 Welsh amateur rugby players performing Haka, a traditional Māori dance that shows art and movement by using hands, feet, legs, body, voice, tongue and eyes. The players are dressed in red-striped polo shirts. This ident was eventually withdrawn after licensing issues with the music, and did not appear in the final montage.
• Hip-Hop: Filmed at Shepperton Studios, this ident shows three basketball players dancing in their wheelchairs. The dancers are all dressed in red, with matching accents on their wheelchairs. The lead dancer is Adrian Adepitan, a British paralympic basketball player, and presenter of the CBBC programme Xchange. The dance is made up of different wheelchair-basketball moves used in the game. Also known as "Basketball".
• Maasai: Launched on 5 January 2004, this ident was filmed on an African savanna in Kenya by the BBC Natural History Unit. It features nine native Maasai tribesmen dancing in the centre.
• Music Video: Filmed in studio with a red backdrop. It features one lead dancer and six back-up dancers. This ident resembles a music video, hence its name. Only seen on the premiere of Fame Academy.
• Salsa: Filmed in Hertfordshire against a decorated red backdrop, the camera first focuses on a couple dancing salsa, and then reveals a large group of dancing couples doing the same thing.
• Skateboarders: Launched on 5 September 2003, this ident features three skateboarders skateboarding through a shipyard. This ident was filmed on location at the Harland and Wolff Shipyard in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The featured skateboarders are, from left to right, British professional skateboarders Olly Todd, Franklin Stephens and Danny Wainwright. This ident was often used to introduce the news. It was also often used in the Midlands and Northern Ireland.
• Tai-Chi: This ident features seven people dressed in traditional Chinese clothing performing Tai-Chi on a lochside. This ident had two versions: one with the camera drawing back, revealing all the performers and their mirror image on the loch; the other (withdrawn in 2003) starts with the mirror image and spins round to reveal that the viewer is actually looking at the reflection.
• Tango: This ident was filmed in Leadenhall Market in the City of London and features three couples dancing the tango, supposedly in the rain.
• Tapdogs: This ident shows six members of the dance troupe Tap Dogs performing a tap dance.
• Tumbler: This ident features five people (all with some red on their clothes) breakdancing on a walkway. It had to be relaunched after 24 hours, apparently due to a copyright dispute over the background music. BBC One Scotland continued to use the original version until the rebranding in 2006. It was filmed on location at the now-demolished BBC Birmingham Pebble Mill studios, and was the final "Rhythm & Movement" ident to be added to its regular playlist.

Variants:

• Due to the ident package's poor reception and unpopularity, it became the target of parodies:
  • Channel 4's cable channel, E4, had three idents that were once available on their website that parodied Capoeira, Ballet and Acrobats. The BBC One logo is also replaced by a purple box containing the E4 logo.
  • On the 2002 French and Saunders Christmas Special, the opening parodies "Acrobats" where the extras fall down flat on the ground. The credits features a parody of "Hip Hop" featuring three grumpy pensioners.
  • For Comic Relief 2003, another spoof variant was made of "Hip Hip", featuring Peter Kay as Brian Potter, a fictional character from the Channel 4 sitcom Phoenix Nights. Two different takes were produced of this version. They were recycled for the 2005 edition, but without the BBC One logo, and were also included as bonus features in the complete series boxset.
  • An episode of Dead Ringers has Jon Culshaw as Tony Blair (wearing a pink leggings and red shoes) dancing in a spoof/parody ident outside 10 Downing Street.
• In the early hours of 7 October 2006, in place of the regular promos prior to handover, a montage of all the idents (bar Haka) was played.

Christmas Variants:

• Christmas 2002-2003: Several dancers dressed as snowflakes against a red sky, are falling to the ground and then walking round in circles.
• Christmas 2004: Children dressed in red are bouncing on Space Hoppers that look like Christmas puddings, under white snow structures. This was designed by a young viewer of the children's programme Blue Peter, as part of a competition.
• Christmas 2005: Several children, again dressed in red, are walking round a giant Christmas tree, carrying brightly coloured balls.

Technique: Live-action.

Audio: Depends on the variant, though they all share the same basic melody. Composed by Peter Lawlor.

• Acrobat: A mid-tempo jingle performed by a string section.
• Ballet: A string quartet, with the cello dominant.
• Festival: A techno-style theme, somewhat resembling a rave party. This version of the jingle would be sampled in a dance track, Forever and a Day by State One in 2003.
• Haka: A slow, string theme, accompanying the sound of the rugby player's chant.
• Hip-Hop: A hip-hop version of the jingle.
• Maasai: A percussion based theme.
• Skateboarders: A mellow jingle, played on a solo piano.
• Tapdogs: An upbeat theme, incorporating the sound of the troupe's tap shoes.
• Tumbler: An upbeat jingle featuring synthesised brass.

Availability: Was last seen on the evening of 6 October 2006 just before 2am, but one may still find these idents on old recordings of BBC One programmes from 2002-2006.

3rd ID (Circle) (October 7, 2006-December 31, 2016)

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Visuals: At the centre of the scene is the then-current BBC One logo, comprised of the 1997 BBC logo and the text "one" next to it in a lowercase proprietary font. As the logo appears, white swooshes of varying size and transparency spin around the logo, creating a circular effect. On 3 November 2010, when BBC One HD launched, the swooshes are red instead. Where the logo forms depends on the ident.

Variants:

• Kites: Set against a cloudy sky, several people are playing with red kites across coastal sand dunes as the camera pans around rapidly. Some of these kites eventually form into a "circle", as the BBC One logo fades in and the camera settles on a view of the sand dunes.
• Bikes: Shots of motorbikes being revved up are interspersed with rapid-fire shots of motorbikes speeding around a small circular 'wall of death' area. The camera eventually settles in the middle of the circle with the motorbikers riding around it, and as the BBC One logo forms the motorbikers begin to speed up and form abstract light trails.
• Hippos: The sequence starts with a hippo peeking their head above water, before diving down into the depths to see more hippos swimming around through seaweed and fish. The camera stops on a view of the surface from underwater, as the hippos swim around the now-formed BBC One logo, with one of them eventually breaking the formation to swim towards the camera.
• Football: Across a grey football pitch in an urban area, several footballers begin to perform tricks with red footballs, kicking them through the air in a robotic way. They eventually begin to form blurry trails across the pitch, before the camera zooms into an overhead view of them all gathered in a circle, kicking the red footballs to each other as the BBC One logo forms.
• Ring-a-Roses: Set in a strikingly colourful field full of yellow and red flowers, there is a group of children skipping around and holding hands, interspersed with shots of the sun in the sky. The flowers begin to blow in the wind, scattering their petals across the field, and the camera zooms out to the children gathered in a circle around the mostly red flower petals as the BBC One logo forms.
• Surfers: Across the ocean, there are several surfers atop red boards, swimming around as the camera keeps dipping underwater. As the waves begin to appear, they stand on their boards and ride the waves, culminating in the BBC One logo forming within a wave as several surfers ride it.
• Windows: There is various shots of people within an apartment complex smiling as the sun shines through their windows, before they get up to open their windows and stand on their red balconies, causing a bright glare to appear. The camera zooms out to show a full shot of the apartments with the window glares appearing in a circular fashion as the BBC One logo appears. This ident was removed from the package in 2008, due to it potentially triggering epilepsy in certain viewers.
• Moon: Across a dark ocean setting is lots of red boats with people carrying pieces of the moon, and as they sail further out to sea they eventually begin to place the pieces together in the sky, forming the moon as the camera zooms out to reveal the BBC One logo. This ident was technically removed from the package in 2008, but occasionally made appearances on BBC One Northern Ireland until 2016, and was intended to be used as an 'obituary' ident.
• Magic Forest: The sequence starts on the floor of a forest, seeing creatures like frogs and butterflies, before the camera cuts to reveal trees beginning to bend and small fairies flying out from inside of flowers. The camera pans into a hole in a tree to reveal lots of bright fairies flying around in a circle, as the BBC One logo appears.
• Mission Control: In space, a small pod is launched out of a rocket and lands on the surface of the Moon, whilst the camera keeps cutting back to show a control room full of anxious people. When the pod lands, a small curious robot is deployed which immediately begins to draw a circle on the surface, as the BBC One logo forms in the centre of it.
• Neon: Set on a promenade at nighttime, there is a neon sign featuring a woman who comes to life and begins walking down the street, causing all of the other neon lights on the street to come alive and follow her. They eventually end up at a theme park, and the camera cuts back to reveal the neon characters riding on a Ferris wheel, as the BBC One logo forms within the wheel.
• Lawn: There is a bright stereotypical suburban neighbourhood with housewives moving along the ground in a strange way, pushing along lawnmowers of various types across the grass. Eventually the camera pans out to reveal a circle within the grass, and then pans out again to reveal a series of crop circles within the grass, as the BBC One logo forms within the outer circle.
• Helicopter: Across the dramatic seascape of the Isles of Sicilly, there is a lone helicopter flying through the sky, dipping down and flying over rock formations within the sea. It eventually comes in to land atop a launch pad, and the camera cuts to an aerial view of the pad, as the BBC One logo forms within it.
• Penguins: Based on one of the Christmas idents from 2007 is various scenes of CGI penguins around an ice skating rink, waddling around and causing mayhem with a vending machine. They all enter the rink and begin to skate around, as the camera cuts to an overhead view of penguins and humans skating around in a circle, with the BBC One logo appearing in the middle.
• Dog Show: Across a bright sunny field is one small dog barking as other dogs jump through flaming rings, over hurdles, and run around the field. All of the dogs except one then form a pyramid by standing on top of each other, and then there is the commanding dog get launched through the air by a see-saw as the other dogs perform various other acrobatic tricks. The camera then cuts to an aerial shot of the field, showing all of the dogs weaving through poles in a circle, as the commanding dog runs around the inside, barking at them. The BBC One logo forms within the inside of the circle.
• Capes: On a rainy day within a city, there is a lone cyclist wearing a red cape as they cycle along a road. The camera cuts to show more cyclists joining them, wearing coats of various colours, and as they all cycle along the rain stops and the sun begins to shine. The camera cuts to a roundabout as they cycle around it, their coats forming a rainbow of colours as the BBC One logo forms within the roundabout. Despite the Circle package being withdrawn at the end of 2016, this ident was still used to introduce the programme Panorama on 9 January 2017, due to the lack of a suitable ident from the Oneness package.

Technique: A mix of live-action and 2D computer animation produced by Red Bee Media.

Audio: Depends on the ident, however they all share the same 3-note jingle in the original 2006 variants, and a new six-note jingle in the updated 2009 variants. Notably, the original idents themselves were all composed by Imran Hanif, though later revisions and further idents would be composed by David Arnold.

Availability: Seen on BBC One right up until the end of 2016.

Legacy: These idents are widely regarded as some of the best idents seen on British television within recent years, with a strong return to a circular motif seen on BBC One since its earliest years and a creative selection of idents, especially when compared to the following ident package.

4th ID (Oneness) (January 1, 2017-April 30, 2020, July 18, 2021-April 1, 2022)

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Visuals: Depending on the ident, it showcases the everyday lives of British people and their activities. On the bottom are details (activity, location) of the scene, which fades out to the text "oneness" forming via a circular swirling line, in the same transition to the 2006 idents. The "e" extends to "ness" in a handwritten cursive font. "ness" fades out and the 1997 BBC logo fades in on the top left of "one".

Later Variant: Beginning on October 20, 2021, with the introduction of the BBC's new logo, the idents were altered a bit. The new 2021 BBC logo appears with the blocks after the promos and stings deforming in shape a bit, and instead of the "oneness" text appear, the activity and location fades to "ONE" (in BBC Reith Bold), like with the new BBC logo. The "Subtitles" graphic is now placed in a full widescreen picture, rather than being in its original place of a 4:3 picture.

Trivia: The BBC commissioned Martin Parr, one of Britain’s leading documentary photo­graphers, to create 24 images and short films on the theme of “oneness”.

Variants: Depends on the variant:

• Exercise Class, Avonmouth (2 versions): A group of people are performing a dance workout routine. Filmed in Avonmouth. This was the first ident of the new look to be used at 1am on 1 January 2017. Removed after a few months due to initial poor reception.
• Sea Swimmers, Clevedon (2 versions): A group of people are walking in and back out of the sea. Filmed in Clevedon. Initially used for the BBC News before the introduction of more suitable idents. Removed after a few months due to initial poor reception - however, version 2 of the ident appeared before Sunday Politics on 2 July 2017.
• Mountain Rescue Volunteers, Brecon Beacons (2 versions): A mountain rescue team and their dog are walking down from a 4x4 emergency vehicle in a wintry forest. Filmed in the Brecon Beacons.
• Wheelchair Rugby Team, Llantrisant (3 versions): A team of wheelchair rugby players. Filmed in Llantrisant.
• Forest: A still forest with no people in sight. Filmed in the Brecon Beacons. This ident lacks the 'oneness' animation.
• Skaters, Southwark: A group of skaters skate around a dance hall. Filmed in Southwark.
• Birdwatchers, Rainham Marshes (2 versions): A group of birdwatchers stand in a field, looking at offscreen birds with their binoculars and commenting on them. Filmed in the Rainham Marshes.
• Cavers, Wemyss: A group of modern cavers with headlamps are going underground inside the cave. Filmed in Wemyss.
• Bhangra, Edinburgh New Town: A group of bhangra dancers dance to Indian music. Filmed in Edinburgh New Town.
• Tandem Cyclists, Belfast: A group of tandem cyclists look at the camera and then cycle off. Filmed in Belfast.
• Night Kayakers, Killyleagh: A group of kayakers paddle in the water during the nighttime. Filmed in Killyleagh.
• Allotment Holders, Smethwick: A group of allotment holders tend to the ground and then pose to the camera. Filmed in Smethwick.
• Bog Snorkellers, Llanwrtyd Wells (2 versions): Five Bog Snorkellers in various costumes. In one ident there are preparing to enter the bog, while in the other they emerge. Filmed in Llanwrtyd Wells.
• Boxers, Digbeth: A group of boxers pose for the camera and then start an exercise session. Filmed in Digbeth.
• Banger Racers, St Brides: A group of racers pose through the open windows of their cars, while a race takes place in the background. Filmed in St Brides.
• Ten Pin Bowlers, Hockley: A group of ten pin bowlers are ready and waiting to knock down some skittles by using a ten pin bowl. Filmed in Hockley.
• Fell Runners, Mourne Mountains: A group of runners come to a stop at a group of rocks, and decide where to go next. Filmed in the Mourne Mountains.
• Llama Trekkers, Armagh: A group of young people walk through a gate with three llamas. Filmed in Armagh.
• Drone Racers, Nottingham: A group of young people play around with their drones. Filmed in Nottingham. Frequently used to introduce entertainment, reality and comedy programmes. Originally filmed in August 2017, but was held back from being shown until the New Year's Day 2018.
• Wild Campers, Glencoe: A group of young people come out of their tents. Filmed in Glencoe. Used for the likes of drama, serious programmes and everyday programmes. Originally filmed in August 2017, but was held back from being shown until the New Year's Day 2018.
• Under 7 Footballers, Barnet (2 versions): A team of under 7 footballers participate in a training session. Filmed in Barnet.
• Sausage Dog Walkers, Newcastle upon Tyne: A group of people with sausage dogs are walking in the seaside park outside the bridge in the background, whilst sausage dogs are barking and yapping to help them to fetch some food. Filmed in Newcastle upon Tyne.
• Cheerleaders, Manchester: A group of cheerleaders (9 women and 1 man) dance to hip hop/electropop music. Filmed in Manchester.
• Taekwondo Club, Trafford: A group of 9 children performs taekwondo martial arts movements during the training session with 2 supporters (mum and dad) watch and learn. Filmed in Trafford.
• Swing Dancers, County Durham: A group of 12 swing dancers dancing in a variety of styles. Filmed in Crook, County Durham.
• Volunteer Lifeguards, Exmouth (2 versions): Nine lifeguards in different surf rescue coats. In one ident there are using surfboards to go back into the sea for surfing, while in the other carry an Inflatable Rescue Boat for the rescue sea mission. Filmed in Exmouth.
• Steel Pan Band, Plymouth: A group of 12 people in red T-shirts performing Calypso music with steel pan drums. Filmed in Plymouth at Tinside Lido.

Technique: A mix of live action and 2D computer animation.

Audio: Sounds vary throughout the variants, depending on what is happening. This can range from ambience to proper music.

Availability: The first ident, "Exercise Class", started broadcasting at 1am on New Year's Day 2017 (late hours of New Years Eve 2016), and more idents would appear throughout the years. The first two idents were removed after a few months following initial negative reception. In response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, BBC One temporarily suspended their normal idents on 30th April 2020 in favour of the next logo which was used until the final hours of 18 July 2021.

Legacy: Oneness is often agreed to be the laziest series of BBC idents, showing no charm or value that previous ident branches had shown. It is often compared unfavourably to the Rhythm & Movement idents from 2002.

5th ID (April 30, 2020-July 18, 2021)

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Visuals: Several rectangles in different sizes appear one by one on a black background. Inside each of the rectangles, it shows someone doing a certain activity in their home (everyone does the same activity for each ident). After a few seconds, the "oneness" logo from the last logo animates as usual.

Variants: Depends on the variant:

• Tea breaks, Across the UK: Cups of tea are being made at various kitchens.
• Teammates, Training at Home: People kicking a football to one other across different gardens.
• Isolation Disco, Neighbours: People dancing around to music in their own living rooms.
• In Bloom, Across the UK: Flowers blooming all at once.
• Capoeira Group Practise, At Home: Originally Capoeira Group Practice, At Home. People dancing in a Capoeira style, inspired by the 2002 Capoeira ident from the 2002 'Rhythm & Movement' set. On the evening of Monday 22nd June, the caption was changed to Capoeira Group Practise, At Home.
• Cabaret Cooking, At Home: People cooking and eating their Cabaret food.
• Knit Club, At Home: People are doing knitting in their own dining rooms.
• Choir Rehearsal, Across the UK: People singing and choirs in a style of melodies.
• Cat Naps, At Home: Domestic cats meowing, purring and sleeping in their someone else's rooms.
• Bread Makers, Across the UK: People making bread by using a dough on board covered with flour in their kitchens.
• Special Idents:
  • Fundraisers, Across the UK: Aired before programming related to Children in Need 2020.
  • England Fans, From Across the UK (2 versions): Aired before programming leading to the finals of Euro 2021 between England and Italy.

Technique: Live-action and simple computer animation.

Audio: Depends on the ident.

Availability: These were meant to be temporary idents as viewers complained on social media that the previous set of BBC One idents were not good examples of social distancing. Can be seen before every BBC One programme before 19 July 2021.

• The first ident, "Tea breaks", started broadcasting before the news at 6pm on May 1, 2020 on BBC One, and more idents would appear the same month.
• These idents were retired on 18 July 2021 due to the UK lifting its coronavirus restrictions a day later, with "Cat Naps" the last one shown at 1:05am.

6th ID (Lens) (December 4-31, 2021, April 1, 2022-)

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Visuals: The camera pans over a large community space utilised for various purposes, with the same 2021 BBC logo from before appearing at the top of the screen and the same "ONE" (in BBC Reith Bold) from before appearing at the bottom. As this happens, the centre of the screen rotates with a circular lens effect to show part of the space being used for different times of the day and in different configurations. Then the "lens" slowly closes, with the camera still panning over the space. Parts of the space (e.g. people, trees, etc.) sometimes overlap the BBC logo and "ONE" as the ident animates. However, "Warehouse" has parts of the space sometimes overlap the "Subtitles" text as the ident animates.

Trivia: "Lens" was first teased as the new identity for BBC One during the promo endboards and break-bumpers on October 20, 2021. Furthermore, it uses the Chameleon branding design.

Variants: Depends on the variant:

• Warehouse - Skateboarding: A group of people skateboard in an empty warehouse. The lens rotates to reveal a figure drawing class and a rave. This was the first ident of the new look to be used at 7pm on 1 April 2022.
• Warehouse - Drawing: A person lays on a bench in a figure drawing class, with people painting the person. The lens rotates to reveal a group of skateboarders and a group of ravers.
• Warehouse - Rave: A group of people rave in an empty warehouse. The lens rotates to reveal a figure drawing class and a group of skateboarders.
• Hall - Trampoline: A group of people bounce on trampolines in a hall. The lens rotates to reveal a prenatal class and a group of people preparing for an event.
• Hall - NCT: A prenatal class. The lens rotates to reveal a group of people bouncing on a trampoline and a group of people preparing for an event.
• Hall - Showtime: A group of people prepare for an event, lifting a disco ball towards the ceiling, and testing lights. The lens rotates to reveal a prenatal class and a group of people bouncing on a trampoline.
• Farmland - Livestock: Sheep run across a field. The lens rotates to reveal ramblers in stormy weather and a campsite at a festival.
• Farmland - Ramblers: Ramblers in stormy weather. The lens rotates to reveal a campsite at a festival and sheep running across a field.
• Farmland - Festival: A campsite at a festival. The lens rotates to reveal ramblers in stormy weather and sheep running across a field.
• Market - Hustle: A market by a bridge underpass. The lens rotates to reveal the aftermath of the market and the same location, empty.
• Market - Calm: A bridge underpass. The lens rotates to reveal a market taking place at the underpass and the aftermath of the market.
• Market - Aftermath: The aftermath of the earlier market, with people cleaning up the street. The lens rotates to reveal the earlier market taking place at the underpass and the same location, empty.
• Bench - Family: A family sitting at a bench. The lens rotates to reveal a group of teenagers congregating at the bench and the same bench at night.
• Bench - Teens: A group of teenagers congregate at a bench. The lens rotates to reveal a family sitting at the bench and the same bench at night.
• Bench - Empty: An empty bench at night. The lens rotates to reveal a family sitting at the bench and a group of teenagers congregating at the bench.
• Sky - Daytime: A shot of the day sky. The lens rotates to reveal the sky in the evening and at night.
• Sky - Evening: A shot of the evening sky. The lens rotates to reveal the sky in the daytime and at night.
• Sky - Night: A shot of the night sky. The lens rotates to reveal the sky in the daytime and in the evening.
• Swimming Pool - Party: A group of people party in a pool. The lens rotates to reveal a group of people swimming outdoors and a man diving into the pool where two women are sitting.
• Swimming Pool - Swim Squad: A group of people swimming outdoors. The lens rotates to reveal a man diving into a pool where two women are sitting and a group of people partying in the pool.
• Swimming Pool - Clowning Around: A man dives into a pool where two women are sitting. The lens rotates to reveal a group of people swimming outdoors and a group of people partying in the pool.
• Café - Builders: A group of builders having a food break in a café. The lens rotates to reveal a group of people winning a cup in the café and a couple having their first date in the café.
• Café - Cup Winners: A group of people celebrating about winning a cup in a café. The lens rotates to reveal a group of builders having a food break in the café and a couple having their first date in the café.
• Café - First Date: A couple having their first date in a café. The lens rotates to reveal a group of people celebrating about winning a cup in the café and a group of builders having a food break in the café.

Technique: Live-action with some editing by BBC Studios Creative and ManvsMachine.

Audio: Ambient music, along with whatever is happening in the ident. Many of them were done by a London-based company named Resonate.

Availability: Appeared early during the Christmas 2021 presentation at 7:40pm on 4 December 2021. The first ident, "Warehouse (Skateboarding)", later started broadcasting at 7pm on April Fools' Day 2022, and more idents would appear throughout the years.

Unused Logos

ID (1990-1991?)

• 

Visuals: A globe can be seen spinning; however, it slowly fades to a numeral "1", which looks more like a Roman numeral than an actual numeral. It also has a metal ring around it, making it seem more like a metallic ball. Some of the globe is still visible after the finished product. The 1988 BBC logo also appears below as well.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: A deep harmonic tune, which finishes after the animation has completed.

Availability: It was never used or broadcasted, it was a test ident.

External Links

• Official Website
• BBC One on Wikipedia

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