Draft:BBC One (Christmas Idents)

Background

Every Christmas, BBC One has had idents produced exclusively for the Christmas season, originally simply being used during December 24-26, the length has since extended to the whole month of December, even in Early November.

1967

Logo: Similar the standard 1966 ident from the time, but instead of the globe, we see a small rotating candle. Snowflake tinsel appears on the top and bottom, and the usual BBC1 block logo is replaced with a "CHRISTMAS BBC1" caption in a Victorian-like font.

Technique: Live-action.

Music/Sounds: None, or a voiceover.

Availability: Extinct. No video footage has currently resurfaced of this ident.

1969-1972, 1974-1975

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Logo: We see a colourful globe with geographical contours spinning in the middle of the screen. Instead of the usual reflection, there are holographic snowflakes in the background. A caption appears on the bottom, which changes every year.

Caption(s)

• 1969 - "Christmas in Colour", with the BBC 1 block logo on the bottom. This variant uses circular sequins instead of snowflakes.
• 1970 - "Christmas on BBC1", in a Victorian-like font.
• 1971, 1973-1974 - Same as the 1970 ticker but the font is longer.
• 1972 - Unknown, although according to TV Ark, it's the same as the previous version, likely with a different ticker. A clock from that year has resurfaced though, with a "Christmas Colour" ticker, so it could mean the ident used it as well.
• 1975 - The caption now reads "Christmas/BBC 1", with "Christmas" in a golden Blackletter Gothic font and the twin striped "BBC 1" logo used in promos at the time in purple. in a striped font

Trivia: The design of the globe in these idents is similar to the later COW globe.

Technique: Live-action.

Music/Sounds: Just an announcer. However, the British national anthem was played at closedown.

Availability: Extinct. All except the 1974 and 1975 idents have not had any video footage resurfaced yet.

1973

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Logo: A group of carol singers rotates about on a turntable. The caption "Christmas on BBC1" appears on the bottom, in a ribbon-styled font.

Technique: Unknown, likely live-action.

Music/Sounds: Likely the same as before.

Availability: Extinct. As with the other pre-1974 idents, no video footage has currently resurfaced of this ident.

1976

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Logo: Somewhat similar to the 1975 ident, but this time, instead of a globe, we see a giant revolving snowflake (not unlike those hanging ones you can buy for your tree) behind red holographic snowflakes (different than before). The caption is the same as the 1975 ident, but this time, "Christmas" is coloured in crimson, and "BBC 1" is coloured in ice blue.

Variant: A companion clock was also created, which features the mechanical clock below the same caption as the ident.

Technique: Live-action.

Music/Sounds: Same as before.

Availability: Extinct.

1977

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Logo: We see a large Christmas pudding (black sphere with ice on top) rotating in front of the concave mirror with a sprig of holly atop. The background is black with melting ice on top. While the BBC1 caption remains the same, "CHRISTMAS" is now in a ribbon-like font.

Technique: Live-action.

Music/Sounds: Same as before.

Availability: Extinct. This was not used during closedowns, with BBC1 instead resorting to using a still photograph, whatever it is remains unknown.

1978

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Logo: We see a model of Santa's head with two faces revolving slowly on a turntable. It is sitting on top of a large "CHRISTMAS" ticker, written in a bended, red serif font, and the BBC1 striped logo below.

Technique: Live-action.

Music/Sounds: Same as before.

Availability: Extinct. Once again, this went unused during closedowns and according to the recorder of the footage, it was likely with an unknown photograph once again.

1979

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Logo: 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.

Technique: Live-action.

Music/Sounds: Same as before, although during the closedowns, the slower rendition of the national anthem is used.

Availability: Extinct.

1980

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Logo: In a snowy hillside, we see four Victorian skaters whizzing around a snowman. On the bottom is the large "CHRISTMAS" ticker in a similar font to the 1978 ident, and a small BBC1 below that.

Trivia: The mechanical model used in this ident is actually a lot bigger than it seems, the size of a whole coffee table.

Variant: Two variants were produced, one set during the daytime, and one set during nighttime.

Technique: Live-action.

Music/Sounds: Same as before.

Availability: Extinct.

1980 (Scotland)

Logo: Almost similar to the standard 1974 ident at the time, but the background is light blue and the globe model is almost invisible with only the continents showing. Some falling snowflakes decorate the background. The standard BBC1 Scotland caption from the time appears below.

Technique: A combination of live-action and cel-animation.

Music/Sounds: Same as before.

Availability: Extinct.

1980 (Wales)

Logo: We see a drawing of a village decked out in a snowy landscape with festive trees in the twinkling night sky through a rounded arch decorated with holly on the left and right. The standard BBC Cymru Wales caption from the time appears below.

Technique: While the ident is mostly just a still drawing, the twinkling stars are either done through cels or through real-life Christmas lights.

Music/Sounds: Just an announcer. During closedown, we hear the Carol "The Adeste Fideles" by The Choir of St John’s Cambridge.

Availability: Extinct.

Legacy: A very well-drawn and original idea made by the Welsh BBC team.

1981

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Logo: On a black background, we see five globes in the form of five coloured baubles (orange, blue, purple, pink and green) with white landmasses. The bottom features the green and red striped outline and a "Christmas BBC1" caption in the middle in red/yellow/green.

Technique: Live-action.

Music/Sounds: Either an announcer or the national anthem at closedown.

Availability: Extinct.

1982

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Logo: A giant white snowflake shines and animates with a "BBC1" caption in the centre.

Technique: Live-action.

Music/Sounds: Same as before.

Availability: Extinct.

1982 (Scotland)

Logo: 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 in red appears below.

Technique: Live-action.

Music/Sounds: Same as before.

Availability: Extinct.

1983

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Logo: A similar concept to the previous year. A giant holographic snowflake shines in rainbow-colours with the striped "BBC1" logo caption in the centre.

Variant: The ident was also accompanied by a snowflake clock.

Technique: Live-action.

Music/Sounds: Same as before.

Availability: Extinct.

1983 (Scotland)

Logo: 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.

Technique: Live-action.

Music/Sounds: Same as before.

Availability: Extinct.

1984

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Logo: Two Snowmen and a Snowwoman armed with Christmas crackers welcome the festive season as they rotate on a turntable. On top is the word "BBC1" written in a casual font on a red/blue stain.

Variants:

• Four variants were produced - daytime, evening, nighttime, and midnight idents.
• On its last transmission, a full moon was shown in the background. Eventually, the entire ident dims away and only the night sky can be seen.

Technique: Live-action for the idents, cel-animation for the trails.

Music/Sounds: Same as before.

Availability: Extinct.

1984 (Scotland)

Logo: 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.

Technique: Live-action.

Music/Sounds: Same as before.

Availability: Extinct.

1984 (Wales)

Logo: We see 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.

Variant: An adapted clock was also used, which was simply the standard clock but with images of the same snowflakes below.

Technique: Live-Action. This was the last time BBC Wales used a mechanical Christmas ident.

Music/Sounds: Same as before.

Availability: Extinct.

1985

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Logo: In a snowy landscape made out of cotton, we see the new "BBC1" golden typeface with a robin sitting on it fluttering its wings, with another robin rotating around the logo.

Trivia: The robins were infamously detonated by Noel Edmonds on his programme, The Late Late Breakfast Show, on 4 January 1986.

Variants:

• Two versions were made: one for daytime and one for nighttime.
• The ident was accompanied by hand-animated promotional trails featuring the robins.

Technique: While the idents were Live-action models (the last ident of its type used by the main BBC1 network), the promotional trails are cel-animated.

Music/Sounds: Same as before.

Availability: Extinct.

1985 (Scotland)

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Logo: The same as the standard COW globe logo, but instead of the glove, we see a slowly rotating gift box in the shape of the globe. The box is covered in streamers and wrapping paper.

Variant: For the Hogmanay celebrations, the normal ident is used but with some decoration to the left and right of the COW, featuring holly, bells and berries.

Technique: The Christmas ident is a live-action, while the Hogmanay ident is CGI, like with the standard COW globe ident.

Music/Sounds: Same as before.

Availability: Extinct.

1985 (Wales)

Logo: We see some church windows depicting the Nativity, as snow falls on the outside. The standard BBC1 Wales logo appears below.

Technique: Cel-animation.

Music/Sounds: Same as before.

Availability: Extinct.

1986

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Logo: We see a snowy 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.

Trivia: The ident was designed by a viewer following a CBBC contest.

Technique: Cel-animation.

Music/Sounds: Same as before.

Availability: Extinct.

1986 (Scotland)

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Logo: The same as the standard COW Globe ident, but with small stars around it, making it look like a night sky.

Variant: Another variant, featuring a large BBC1 Scotland graphic done in neon, with lights around it, also exists. This is a still caption of a sting used for local promos.

Technique: Same as the BBC1 ident from the time.

Music/Sounds: Same as before.

Availability: Extinct.

1986 (Wales)

Logo: We see a circular Christmas wreath featuring a scene with a snow-covered church. The usual BBC1 Wales typeface appears below.

Variants:

• Three variants were made, Daytime, Nighttime and a completely dark version.
• The clock was also imposed onto the footage at closedown.

Technique: Cel-animation.

Music/Sounds: Same as before. Once again, Christmas Carols replaced the Welsh national anthem.

Availability: Extinct.

1987

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Logo: We see 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.

Variant: Promotional styles 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.

Technique: Cel-animation.

Music/Sounds: Same as before.

Availability: Extinct.

1987 (Scotland)

Logo: 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, giving the ident a "stained class" appearance.

Variant: For Hogmanay, the same ident was used, albeit with "CHRISTMAS" replaced with "HOGMANAY".

Technique: Cel-animation.

Music/Sounds: A strange sounding flute tune plays

Availability: Extinct.

1987 (Wales)

Logo: We see a church window with a snowy view depicting an outside Christmas Tree, done in a watercolour animation style, with either "Christmas Eve", "Christmas Day" or "Boxing Day" below the window. The usual BBC1 Wales caption appears below.

Technique: Cel-animation.

Music/Sounds: Same as before.

Availability: Extinct.

1987 (Northern Island)

Logo: We see 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.

Technique: Live-action.

Music/Sounds: Same as before.

Availability: Extinct.

1988

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Logo: A partridge flies onto a mountain of pears and sits on them, with the BBC1 logo superimposed on top.

Variants:

• Two versions were made: one for daytime and one for nighttime.
• At the end of each day the partridge would fly away again.

Technique: Cel-animation.

Music/Sounds: Same as before.

Availability: Extinct.

1988 (Scotland)

Logo: 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.

Variant: For Hogmanay, the tree is replaced with a bell.

Technique: Stop-motion animation.

Music/Sounds: Same as before.

Availability: Extinct.

1988 (Wales)

Logo: Instead of the COW globe, we see a snow globe featuring a Christmas tree and a snowman reading a newspaper. BBC1 Wales appears below as usual.

Technique: Cel-animation.

Music/Sounds: Same as before.

Availability: Extinct.

Editor's Note:According to one person on a YouTube upload of this ident, a BBC2 variant of this ident also exists, but it has yet to resurface.

1989

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Logo: The globe is a spinning top, spinning at the bottom of a Christmas tree with a ribbon featuring the BBC1 logo on it.

Variant: Linked in with end promotions, which would link in by means of a toy train passing in front of the screen.

Technique: Stop-motion animation by Clearwater Features.

Music/Sounds: Same as before.

Availability: Extinct.

1989 (Scotland)

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Logo: A Christmas tree is seen spinning with a shining star on top. "BBC1 Scotland" appears through a flipping effect.

Variants:

• 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.

Technique: Live-action, likely the last mechanical ident to ever be featured on national television.

Music/Sounds: Same as before.

Availability: Extinct.

1989 (Wales)

Logo: A 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.

Variant: BBC Two used the exact same ident that year as well, but with a daytime background and a different logo.

Technique: Great CGI animation for 1989.

Music/Sounds: A music box tune, followed by the announcer.

Availability: Extinct.

1990

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Logo: 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.

Trivia: This was the last Christmas ident not to use a BBC logo.

Variants:

• In Scotland, Wales and Northern Island, the "Christmas" part on the bottom is replaced with the respective region.
• For Hogsmanay 1990, a special 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: Stop-motion animation.

Technique/Variants:

• During closedowns in Wales, cheaply chyroned onto the footage.

Music:

Music/Sounds Variants:

• During the Christmas Day closedown in Wales, a caroling track called "Ding Dong Merrily On High" from the CPM Music Library was used.
• During the national Boxing Day closedown, the national anthem fails to play due to a technical fault, leaving the entire ident silent, although at one point the regular ident track briefly plays for a second.

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