Central Productions

Credits

Compiled by
Camenati

Editions by
RSX-798, Michael Kenchington and Blue2000

This article is about the production logos. For the TV idents, see Central Independent Television.

Background

This is the production arm of Central Television, formerly ATV.

1st Logo (January 1, 1982-1984)

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  Opening Variant
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  "Presentation" Variant
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  "Production" Variant
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  1982 Copyright Variant
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  1983 Copyright Variant

Opening Variant

"Presentation" Variant

"Production" Variant

1982 Copyright Variant

1983 Copyright Variant

Visuals:

• Opening: Same as the station ID of the era.
• Closing: On the same dark blue background, a flat white planet with a rainbow crescent inside is seen above the text "CENTRAL PRODUCTION", set in the same font as the opening logo.

Variants:

• Sometimes, "CENTRAL PRODUCTION" may be reworded to "CENTRAL PRESENTATION". This was seen at the end of movies and imported programmes.
• Sometimes, a copyright stamp is added underneath, reading "©Central Independent Television plc. (year)".

Technique:

• Opening: Advanced early computer animation, likely done on an Oxberry animation stand.
• Closing: A still render.

Audio:

• Opening: Same as the station ID of the era.
• Closing: The ending theme of the programme or none.

Audio Variants:

• On 1983 episodes of Family Fortunes and On the Line, the opening variant of the logo is either silent, or very heavily muted.
• On season 2 episodes of Bullseye, the 1982 jingle is low-toned, which is done to go with the pitch of the show's theme tune.

Availability: Seen on programmes by Central from the time-period until 1984. For its last two years of (official) use, it would be used in tandem with the next logo.

• Examples include Looks and Smiles, Carols from Christ Church, On the Line, Family Fortunes, Bullseye, and early season 1 episodes of the UK version of Blockbusters, among many others.
• Both the opening and closing variants of the logos are intact on Challenge airings of both Family Fortunes and Bullseye episodes from this period.
• The bylineless "Production" variant is seen on Season 1 episodes of Auf Wiedersehen, Pet.
  • However, it is plastered on many episodes by the still version of the 1988 animated "Central Production" variant of the 3rd logo on 1997 UK Gold airings and current UKTV Drama airings.
  • Despite this, it can still be found on a couple of later Season 1 episodes on UKTV Drama.
• The bylineless "Production" variant is also seen at the start of the 1991 UK VHS release of Rosie and Jim: Volume 2 from The Video Collection.

2nd Logo (November 1983-Autumn 1988)

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  Opening variant
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Visuals:

• Opening: Same as the station ID of the era.
• Closing: Same concept as the previous logo, except the moon's rainbow shading is more blended and detail and the logo is now against a black background.

Variants:

• Some versions would have the text below reading "CENTRAL PRODUCTION", "CENTRAL PRESENTATION" (which appeared at the end of movies and imported programmes), "CENTRAL OUTSIDE BROADCAST", "A ZENITH PRODUCTION FOR CENTRAL", "ZENITH PRODUCTION FOR CENTRAL", "CENTRAL PRODUCTION FOR CHANNEL 4", "CENTRAL PRODUCTIONS FOR CHANNEL 4", or "A CENTRAL PRODUCTION in association with MOSTPOINT Ltd for CHANNEL FOUR".
• Some versions have a copyright date below.
• On The Little Green Man, the moon is smaller and the company name is also larger than usual.
• On some programmes such as The Little Green Man, Boon, Mengele, Bullseye from 1983 to 1988, the original airings of the first two seasons of Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends from 1984 and 1986, Decade of Destruction, Duran Duran: As The Lights Go Down, and A Change For the Better, respectively, among others, the glow around the moon is not present.
• On 1987 (Season 7) episodes of Family Fortunes, the endcap is seen in a box with a purple outline, which is also used to show the credits. After a few seconds, the box zooms in and the logo becomes full-screen.
• On 1987 (Season 5) episodes of the UK version of Blockbusters, the opening variant of this logo fades into an image of the Earth of the show's 1987 opening titles.

Technique:

• Opening: Computerized effects.
• Closing: A still render.

Audio:

• Opening: Same as the station ID of the era.
• Closing: The ending theme of the programme or none.

Audio Variants:

• On season 3 of Bullseye, the 1982 jingle remains the same as the last logo, once again to keep the same pitch as the opening theme to the show. On season 4 of Bullseye, the show's theme tune was changed, and so the logo went back to using the standard pitch.
• On New Faces of '86/'87, the 1982 jingle is played by Harry Rabinowitz and his Orchestra.

Availability: Seen on programmes by Central from the time-period until 1988. For its first two years, the previous logo was used in tandem alongside it.

• Examples include Blockbusters, Boon, Sporting Triangles, Unnatural Causes, The Little Green Man, Decade of Destruction, Gentry, And There's More, Mengele, Duran Duran: As The Lights Go Down, A Change For the Better, Coming Through, Bullseye, and Family Fortunes episodes from this era, among many others.
• The opening variant of this logo was used on all networked programmes by Central until ITV abolished frontcaps starting on January 1, 1988.
• The opening variant of this logo is also intact at the start and end of The Worst Witch (the 1986 TV movie, not to be confused with the 1998 CITV series of the same name) on both the 1988 UK VHS release from Screen Legends, and the 1990 UK VHS re-release thereof from The Video Collection.
• The closing variant of this logo was also seen on the original airings of the first two seasons of Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends from 1984 and 1986, respectively, however, current prints of the show and U.S. prints remove this logo.

3rd Logo (Spring 1988-1995)

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Visuals: Same as the 1988 Central ident until September 1, 1989, except with the text reading "CENTRAL PRODUCTION", which fades in below the logo.

Variants:

• On some programmes like The Nuclear Age and Saracen, and also at the end of movies and imported programmes, the text just says "CENTRAL".
  • The "CENTRAL PRODUCTION" and "CENTRAL" variants of the 1988 animated logo exist as both filmed and videotaped versions, with the filmed version being seen on Woof! and Press Gang (both season 1), respectively.
  • A still variant of the 1988 animated logo also exists, which is seen on some episodes of Auf Wiedersehen, Pet on 1997 UK Gold airings and current UKTV Drama airings, respectively, plastering the 1st logo.
  • A version of the 1988 animated logo with the text reading "A CENTRAL PRODUCTION FOR CHANNEL FOUR" also exists.
  • A version of the 1988 animated logo with the text reading "A ZENITH PRODUCTION FOR CENTRAL" also exists, which is seen on Inspector Morse from 1989.
• From September 1, 1989 until 1993, the Central cake logo appears less 3D and flatter looking, and the words "A CENTRAL PRODUCTION FOR" and the 1989 ITV logo both appear below.
  • Another 1989 variant which features the flatter looking Central cake logo and the words "CENTRAL FOR" and the 1989 ITV logo appearing below also exists, which was seen at the end of movies and imported programmes.
• Beginning in early 1990, a still version of the 1988 Central ident is used, but with the cake smaller and the fourth and fifth blocks of the cake logo are also recoloured from light green and light blue to green and blue, respectively. The text also now reads "A CENTRAL PRODUCTION", which appears below the logo.
  • A filmed version of the 1990 variant of the logo also exists, which was seen on some drama programmes until 1992. It was also strangely seen on the original airings of some episodes of The Dreamstone.
  • Sometimes on the 1990 variant:
    • The Central cake logo would sometimes appear slightly smaller.
    • "PRODUCTION" may be reworded to "PROGRAMME" or "PRESENTATION" (the latter of which was seen at the end of movies and imported programmes such as The Pink Panther Show (1969), The Young Doctors, Home and Away, Shortland Street, A Country Practice, and Cooking at The Academy, among many others).
    • The 1989 ITV logo also appears below either the "A CENTRAL PRODUCTION FOR", "A CENTRAL PROGRAMME FOR" or "A CENTRAL PRESENTATION FOR" notice on networked programmes on the 1990 variant of the logo.
    • On programmes produced for Channel 4 such as Home Waters and the ITV Schools programme Good Health: Pets, Pets, Pets, among others, the text is reworded to "A CENTRAL PRODUCTION FOR CHANNEL FOUR". Also on the former, the copyright notice which reads "© Channel Four Television (year in Roman numerals)" appears at the bottom of the screen.
• Beginning in 1994, the Central cake logo is larger and more colourful and the text now reads either "A CENTRAL PROGRAMME" or "A CENTRAL PROGRAMME FOR" with the 1989 ITV logo below on the latter for networked programmes, which is seen on the 1994 series of Blockbusters, 1994 episodes of Family Fortunes, The Upper Hand (season 6), Soldier Soldier (season 4), a March 7, 2023 airing of the Peak Practice episode "Losing Out" on UKTV Drama, Outside Edge, and also on the original 1994 airing of the Mr. Bean episode "Back to School, Mr. Bean", respectively, among others. However, some programmes such as Sharpe's Company, Sharpe's Enemy and Sharpe's Honour continued to use the 1990 version of the logo.
  • Another version of the 1994 variant with the text reading "A CENTRAL PROGRAMME FOR CHANNEL FOUR" also exists, which was seen at the end of programmes for Channel 4.
• A superimposed version of the 1994 variant of this logo with the text reading "A CENTRAL PROGRAMME" also exists, which was seen on Central Weekend Live.
• 1989 (Season 9) episodes of Family Fortunes use a similar concept from the previous logo, the 1989 version of the endcap is seen inside a box with a orange outline, which again contains the shows credits. It also then zooms in after a few seconds, making the endcap as usual take up the full screen.
  • 1990 (Season 10) episodes took a slightly different concept. The credits are now on a cube which rotates to the left and now has a purple outline. The cube eventually turns to the 1990 version of the endcap, which then zooms in per usual to take up the full screen.

Technique: CGI or a still render.

Audio: Same as the 1988 Central ident until September 1, 1989.

Audio Variants:

• Sometimes, the synthesized sweep is absent in the seven-note orchestral fanfare, which is mostly heard on the filmed version of the 1988 animated logo.
• On the New Faces of '88 final, the seven-note fanfare is played by Harry Rabinowitz and his Orchestra.
• The ending theme of the programme or none beginning on September 1, 1989.
• On Challenge airings of S10E02 of Bullseye, the high frequency test tone is faintly heard over both the 1990 A Central Production for ITV endcap and the 1999 Carlton International logo.

Availability: Seen on the company's programmes from the time-period until 1995. Nowadays, this is either preserved or plastered over.

• Reruns of both Family Fortunes and Bullseye episodes from 1988 and 1989 on Challenge have the 1988 animated "Central Production" variant of this logo intact.
• The filmed version of the 1988 animated logo is seen on Woof! and Press Gang (both seasons 1 only), respectively, among others.
• The 1988 animated "Central Production" variant of this logo is also seen on God, The Universe and Everything Else (1988), and Saracen, and was also seen on season 6 of Blockbusters, Gardening Time, Playbox, Sob Sisters, season 3 of Sporting Triangles, Tales of Sherwood Forest, the original 1989 airings of both Huxley Pig (Season 1 only) and Bangers and Mash, and the final edition of Central News at Six (South Edition), respectively, among others.
• The filmed version of the 1988 animated "Central" variant of this logo was also seen at the end of the Press Gang episode "Page One" as part of CITV's Old Skool Weekend in January 2013.
• The videotaped version of the 1988 animated "Central" variant of this logo is also preserved intact on the 1990 UK VHS release of Inspector Morse: The Silent World of Nicholas Quinn from The Video Collection.
• The "A Central Production for ITV" variant of the 1989 version of this logo was seen on programmes by Central from September 1, 1989 until 1993, such as the 1990 UK gameshow Steal, Cliff Richard: The Event, Find A Family, The Struggle for Democracy, season 1 of The $64,000 Question, the fourth and final season of Sporting Triangles, season 2 of Woof!, the original airings of the first season of Nellie the Elephant, and the first two seasons of The Dreamstone (also intact on VHS and DVD releases thereof), among others, and was also seen on the Children's ITV airings of The Wombles.
• The 1989 version of this logo was also seen at the end of a September 1, 2023 airing of The Upper Hand episode "Who's Who?" on UKTV Drama instead of the 1990 version of the logo, due to a plastering error.
  • This also happens on the Challenge airings of both S10E15 and S10E22 of Bullseye, with it followed by the 1999 Carlton International logo on the former and the 2004 Granada International logo on the latter.
• The CENTRAL FOR ITV variant of the 1989 version of this logo was also seen at the end of a 1990 Central airing of an episode of Here Come the Double Deckers, following the 1981 20th Century Fox Television logo.
• The 1990 version of this logo is seen on Dale's Supermarket Sweep, The Upper Hand, Tots TV, Rosie & Jim, and the first season of The Legends of Treasure Island, and was also seen on seasons three to six of Woof!, Astro Farm (original airings only), The Gingerbread Man, the original 1994 airings of season 2 of the 1992 remake of The Tomorrow People, the ITV Schools programme Good Health, Home Waters, and the final three seasons of The $64,000 Question, respectively, among many others.
• The "A Central Programme for ITV" variant of the 1990 version of this logo was also seen on the original airings of Huxley Pig and Nellie the Elephant (both season 2), The Winjin Pom, the 1991 reruns of The Wombles, Bangers and Mash (plastering the 1988 animated "Central Production" variant of this logo), and the second season of Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends on Children's ITV, The Driven Man with Rowan Atkinson (following the 1989 Tiger Television logo), the original airings of season 9 of Strike It Lucky (following the "Thames Television Production for Central" variant of the 1990 Thames Television endcap), and on the original 1993 airing of the Mr. Bean episode "Mr. Bean in Room 426" (and is also preserved intact on the original DVD print thereof of the latter).
• The "A Central Presentation for ITV" variant of the 1990 version of this logo was also seen on the original airings of the final two seasons of Minder, although it does not appear on current prints thereof for unknown reasons.
• The "A Central Presentation for ITV" variant of the 1990 version of this logo was also seen on the original 1994 airings of the Mr. Bean episodes "Do-It-Yourself Mr. Bean" and "Mind the Baby, Mr. Bean", respectively.
  • However, it is omitted from current prints of the former, while the original DVD print of the latter plasters it with the "A Central Programme for ITV" variant of the 1990 version of this logo instead.
• The "A Central Programme for ITV" variant of the 1990 version of this logo is also intact at the end of the 1990 UK VHS release of Rosie & Jim: Volume 1 before The Video Collection's 1986-1995 ident.
• The "A Central Programme for ITV" variant of the 1990 version of this logo was also seen at the end of the Rosie & Jim episode "Washing" as part of CITV's Old Skool Weekend in January 2013.
• The "A Central Programme for ITV" variant of the 1990 version of this logo was also seen on Rosie & Jim on the now-defunct Canadian cable channel BBC Kids (which was available in the United States as a VOD service on select providers).
• The 1990 version of this logo is also seen on some Inspector Morse VHS releases by BFS Video, as well as the Cineplex Odeon/MCA VHS release of Woof!.
• Challenge airings of Blockbusters also have the "A Central Production for ITV" variant of the 1990 version of this logo intact.
• VHS and DVD releases of The Dreamstone (including the 2018 German DVD releases thereof) also feature the 1989 and 1990 versions of this logo, although on the Tempo TV Classics DVD releases of the show's first-two seasons (which had FilmFair's involvement), the length of time the "A Central Production for ITV" variant of the 1989 version of this logo stays on after the credits end is shortened for the 2004 Cookie Jar Entertainment logo.
• Current prints of Sharpe's Eagle and Sharpe's Company, Sharpe's Enemy and Sharpe's Honour also have the 1990 version of this logo still intact, although current prints of Sharpe's Rifles plaster it with the 2009 ITV Studios Global Entertainment logo instead.
• The "A Central Production for ITV" variant of the 1990 version of this logo can also be found on the Talking Pictures TV airings of the Crime Story episode "Hot Dog Wars".
• The 1994 version of this logo is seen on the 1994 series of Blockbusters, 1994 episodes of Family Fortunes, The Upper Hand (season 6), Soldier Soldier (season 4), the UKTV Drama airings of the Peak Practice episode "Losing Out", and Outside Edge, respectively, among others.
• The "A Central Programme for ITV" variant of the 1994 version of this logo was also seen on the original 1994 airing of the Mr. Bean episode "Back to School, Mr. Bean", however, it is omitted from the DVD prints thereof.

4th Logo (1990-1993)

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Visuals: On a purple background with moving dark shaded shapes, the cake symbol is formed through a rotating black sphere, which crossfades into said logo. It then rotates and lays flat on the ground, followed by "CENTRAL", while parallel to the object, slides in and rests on top of the cake symbol. Underneath, "A CENTRAL PRESENTATION" fades in and then it, alongside the logo, fades out.

Variant: Another version but with the last half of the animation from the 1988 ident instead also exists.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: A funky percussion soundtrack accompanied with an announcer.

Availability: Only seen on original Central airings of various movies from this period such as An Officer and a Gentleman.

5th Logo (January 2, 1995-December 31, 1996)

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Visuals: On the same grey marble background as the 1995 Carlton UK Productions logo, the cake, now with added shading, is above "A Central Programme".

Variants:

• Like before, "Programme" may be replaced by "Production" or "Presentation" (the latter of which was seen at the end of movies and imported programmes).
• The 1989 ITV logo also appears below either the "A Central Programme For" or "A Central Presentation For" text on networked programmes.
• On the seventh and final season of The Upper Hand, it is preceded by the Columbia TriStar Carlton UK Productions logo, which also takes place on the same background.

Technique: A still CGI render.

Audio: The ending theme of the programme or none.

Availability: Although it had a short lifespan, it is fairly easy to find, thanks to it preceding the 1995 Carlton UK Productions logo on most programmes produced within said banner.

• Examples include Family Fortunes, Dale's Supermarket Sweep, Rosie & Jim, Tots TV, the first two seasons of Wolves, Witches and Giants, the seventh and final season of The Upper Hand, the first two seasons of Scratchy & Co., season 1 of Potamus Park, the first two seasons of Kavanagh QC, and The Way Through the Woods, among many others.
• The latter can also be found on VHS releases, whereas several other programmes such as Cadfael have this logo intact on some episodes on streaming prints.
• It also survives intact on current prints of the 1995-1996 episodes of Sharpe.
• The "A Central Programme For ITV" variant of this logo is also seen at the end of UKTV Drama airings of the Cadfael episode "The Raven in the Foregate", which is then followed by the silent variant of the 2004 Granada International logo.
• The "A Central Programme For ITV" variant of this logo was also seen at the end of Married for Life (the 1996 UK remake of Married with Children, following the 1995 Columbia Tristar Carlton UK Productions endcap), and A Tribute to Marti Caine.
• The "A Central Presentation For ITV" variant of this logo was also seen at the end of Des O'Connor's Christmas with the Stars, following the mid-1996 production variant of the 1990 Thames Television endcap, and on the original airings of Molly's Gang.
• The "A Central Presentation" variant of this logo was also seen on the original 1995 airings of the Mr. Bean episodes "Tee Off, Mr. Bean" and "Goodnight Mr. Bean", respectively.
  • However, the DVD print of the former uses the 1995 "A Central Programme For ITV" variant instead, while the DVD print of the latter plasters it with the 1990 Thames International endcap instead.

6th Logo (January 1, 1997-April 26, 1998)

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Visuals: The logo from before is now against the same dark blue cloudy background as the 1997 ident and the text now simply reads "Central programme".

Variants:

• Like before, "Programme" may be reworded to "Presentation".
• The 1989 ITV logo also appears either below the "Central programme for" or "Central presentation for" text on networked programmes.
• From late 1997 until April 1998, the ITV URL also sometimes appears on the bottom right of the screen reading "www.itv.co.uk".
• A slightly zoomed-in version of the 1997 "Central programme for ITV" endcap exists, which was seen at the end of 2023 airings of some episodes of Peak Practice on UKTV Drama.
• A zoomed-in version of the 1997 "Central programme for ITV" endcap also exists, which was seen at the end of an April 26, 2023 airing of the Peak Practice episode "A Change of Heart" on UKTV Drama.

Technique: A still CGI render.

Audio: The ending theme of the programme or none.

Availability: Seen on Central programmes from the time-period until 1998.

• Examples include Family Fortunes and Dale's Supermarket Sweep episodes from this period, which can only be found through old video recordings, Rosie & Jim, Tots TV, 24 Hours, seasons 2 and 3 of Potamus Park, season 3 of Wolves, Witches and Giants, the final two seasons of Scratchy & Co., seasons 3 and 4 of Kavanagh QC, seasons 5 and 6 of Peak Practice, and Des O'Connor Tonight (following the 1997 Thames logo), among others.
• It is also seen on Challenge airings of Family Fortunes episodes from 1997 to 1998.
• It is also seen on Sharpe's Revenge, Sharpe's Justice, and Sharpe's Waterloo, with current prints of them keeping it intact, with it succeeded by the 2013 ITV Studios Global Entertainment logo.
• The programme variant with the 1989 ITV logo was also seen on the 1997 ITV reruns of Sharpe's Gold, Sharpe's Battle and Sharpe's Sword, which plastered over the 5th logo.
• The programme variant with the 1989 ITV logo was also seen on the original prints of Sharpe the Legend, as current prints plaster this with the 1999 Carlton International logo.
• The programme variant with the 1989 ITV logo was also seen on a December 8, 1997 rerun of the Mr. Bean episode "Mind the Baby, Mr. Bean".

7th Logo (April 27, 1998-September 5, 1999)

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Visuals: Same as the 1996 Carlton Productions logo but with said company's name replaced with "CENTRAL".

Variants:

• At the end of certain programmes, the word "Production", "Programme", "Presentation for ITV", or "Programme for ITV" (with the 1989 ITV logo until October 4, 1998) appears below.
• Sometimes, the ITV URL appears on the bottom right of the screen reading "www.itv.co.uk".
• Beginning in mid-July 1999, the Carlton URL appears at the bottom of the screen reading "www.carlton.com".

Technique: A digital graphic.

Audio: The ending theme of the programme or none.

Availability: Seen on programmes by Central from the time-period until 1999.

• Examples include Barbara, Wednesday Night Live, the final season of Take Your Pick! (following the 1997 Thames logo), the fourth and final season of Wolves, Witches and Giants, season 5 of Kavanagh QC, season 7 of Peak Practice, and the 1998-1999 season (Season 6) of Dale's Supermarket Sweep, among others.
• However, later prints of Dale's Supermarket Sweep which air on Challenge plaster that and the Pearson/Carlton logo with either the 2001 FremantleMedia logo or the 2018 Fremantle logo, but is still retained on at least one episode.
• The 1998-1999 season (Season 18) of Family Fortunes also used this and is normally retained whenever Challenge re-broadcasts the series.
• The production variant without the 1989 ITV logo was also seen on a March 25, 2023 airing of S15E02 of Family Fortunes on Challenge, plastering both the 1995 Carlton UK Productions and the 5th logos.

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Central Productions