CBBC Idents - The Ident Review

Episode 10
For the tenth episode of the Ident Review, we're gonna be taking a look at the Main Idents of the UK's flagship children's channel, CBBC!
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[@SkyKidShyKid]

Before I'd leave for school, I'd always wake up at like 6:30 in the morning to be sure I could watch as much CBBC as possible. I woke up on the day they changed to the 2016 rebrand, I saw the last moments of what I consider the golden era. 9 year old me hated the rebrand with a burning passion.

[@koiyune]

ive had memories with both of those idents and yeah, the 2016 one wasnt the best, but you need to look at the 2023 ones. they suck. They just feel so bland, corporate and the idents just look... Off. I don't watch CBBC anymore, but i hate the 2023 idents just, so much.

[@beekats]

oh exactly, in 2016 i was also 9 and it changed my world, like i loved the old one and now we had this stupid square with a C in the middle??? that was not on for me tbh

[@CharlieUser37]

CBBC starts at 7 not 6:30

[@ToraVanguard2004]

The 2007-2014 idents are so nostalgic, as I grew up with CBBC in the first half of the tens. I have a DSi from when I was little, it contained so many pictures of those idents that I took when I was like 6, lmao.

[@AnAltWindows7User]

My daughter viewed in the past in 1986 and now 2006

[@asad_am1]

2007 to 2016 were the good times. I remember running home to watch Tracy Beaker Returns lol

[@buzzytrombone4353]

I stopped caring about it after Shaun the Sheep the Movie was released.

[@ghosh_tea4847]

Yeah or horrible history’s

[@Mr_Storm_22]

@@buzzytrombone4353 yeah, that movie was dreadful (My opinion)

[@lillypatterson7670]

Same here lol

[@wavebroadcastingllc187]

Nice

[@Jac-Man]

Fun fact: There’s actually another version of the first logo! It has a completely white background with the “CHILDREN’S” text being a greenish-blue color, and the “BBC” text being red. The music in the version I’m talking about is also a little bit different, and I actually prefer it to the music from the versions covered in this video.

[@stejjie]

Really interesting video! A few thoughts: 1) The 1985-87 ones are the most nostalgic for me, especially the black background one. Although they're very basic, I think they suit the "mood" of Children's BBC in the early years, where it felt wonderfully "make it up as you go along" and Phillip Schofield made no attempt to hide that they were in a small room and he was having to press most of the buttons to make things work (shown most clearly in that famous blooper where he nearly takes the whole of BBC1 down with him!). They seem to speak of the time during the Schofield-Crane-Peters era when Children's BBC was much more immediate and much less slick than it became in the 90s. 2) Something that's interesting to me is how the idents of the 80s and early 90s seem to switch between emphasising the BBC and "Children's" parts of the logo. The 80s ones all had the "BBC" as the most prominent part of the fully-resolved ident, and the 85-87 and the 88-91 (?) one emphasised this by focussing on the formation of the BBC, whith the "Children's" only appearing at the end (this latter one is essentially an updating of the 1985-87 one). Then from 1991 onwards, this changes with the "Children's" becoming dominant and the BBC only appearing as a small logo at the end of the ident sequence. I wonder why they made the switch, especially as in later years they dropped the "Children's" altogether to call it just "CBBC"? 3) The 1991-94 is notable for having, if I remember rightly, two different tunes for it: the one you've put in the video, but also one before it that was quite different (and which I think I preferred). Also, with the second tune (the one you've featured), the end version is a slightly different arrangement including, as someone else said, the "tell that aardvark it's a wrap" voice - was that the origin of Otis The Aardvark? I find TV idents and vintage Children's BBC fascinating though, so thanks for this!

[@jgdsgh]

I remember the 2007-2016 logo fondly because I grew up around the late 2000s/early 2010s although I was more of a Citv kid

[@ms.antithesis]

Same.

[@JayGeeBee07]

that logo has been around since before i was born, i grew up with it :D

[@saidaabdille8603]

My brother was born in 2010

[@Mashmaddity]

Oh man, I miss the 2007 idents - seeing them again takes me right back. I think the 2016 logo is... alright, if a little too abstract. I would prefer if the entire 2016 set was animated, to be honest.

[@KRPTV]

The 1991-1994 one is definitely my favourite! I was fascinated by that logo as a child, particularly the purple and orange neon effects, not to mention the "tell that aardvark it's a wrap" jingle that used to play over it at the end!

[@harveyroderick1986]

REALLY INTERESTING?

[@CJT80]

@KRPTV for ages I wondered what the Ardvark was being told, lol... till someone pointed it out. Loved those idents!

[@saidaabdille8603]

Ya'll are old(er) I'm 12 born in 2009 😅😅

[@TescoMealDeal571]

I grew up with the 2007 ones and the 2002 ones. Seeing them idents are a pure nostalgia trip

[@deadaccount5]

The 2005 one wasn't even memorable, since it was used for such a short amount of time.

[@TescoMealDeal571]

@@deadaccount5 Honestly have to agree, its so bland that it doesnt even fit for CBBC.

[@islasmith4940]

Who realises in the 2nd ident in the 1994-1997 section ( the one with the yellow background ) that the yellow background actually has the letters c , h , i , l , d , r , e , n , and s all zooming about really quickly ? You can see them if you look very closely

[@ejcmoorhouse]

You didn't mention the channel. The reason the blob idents were launched in 2002 was because of the ending of CBBC on Choice which aired children's shows on digital TV during the day time and launch of separate channels CBBC and CBeebies which would time share with BBC Three and Four. It also marked the separating of preschool shows into its own identity. It also interesting to note that CBeebies has retained its original blob logo for sixteen years while CBBC has had three new logos. I personally remember watching the end of the last day of CBBC on Choice and being super excited for the launch of the two new channels which I watched the launch of. An important bit of TV history I think that is surely of interest to all of us.

[@joer.g8568]

ah yeah so Ceebeebies was yellow blobs and cbbc was green?

[@julianhanc8272]

Yes, and after rebranding in 2002, original CBBC was spilted into CBBC and CBeebies

[@TonySpike]

@@joer.g8568 yep, and CBeebies is still using it to this day

[@Connie_TinuityError]

@@julianhanc8272 Merge? don't you mean split?

[@umbre04]

2007-2016 is so damn nostalgic

[@nick90s10]

Did anybody notice the C up the top? 4:04

[@chestnutbloke305]

Probably because this variant of the ident was used on Hacker's Birthday Bash: 30 Years of Children's BBC in 2015.

[@ghosh_tea4847]

Chestnut Bloke yeah it was a small ident they used to transition shows to other shows

[@unusedchannel6918]

Yep!

[@harveyroderick1986]

@@unusedchannel6918 I know

[@michaelocyoung]

@@chestnutbloke305 Explains why it's in such crisp quality too - HD almost!

[@RaphIsStillASmark]

The 2002 idents looks so cool and my favourite set of idents

[@baragonkunfan94thesecondar60]

baby yoda is the worst thing to have come on the planet of earth.

[@kidsuper397]

@@baragonkunfan94thesecondar60 6 years old

[@calxshaw06]

yeah but WHY ISNT THE FIRST C IN A BOX LIKE THE OTHER C

[@koozboy]

1991 idents were ahead of their time

[@MrDeanpower]

I like the nineties idents, including the one with the frog.

[@coachtodd2]

When the fly swept it away

[@harveyroderick1986]

Really

[@MizzSparkle90]

1997-2006 was my era! I remember really not liking the 2007 ones but I was older then anyway

[@txlmu]

I was born in 2010 and watched this from 2012- present Cbbc

[@emilian7052]

Wow 2010 crazy how time flies

[@coralshortsoffi]

Fun fact: the 2016-2023 logo is actually all the letters in CBBC, if you don’t believe me, what it again and pay attention to the stripes that form the logo.

[@hakc97again]

Carlton Television idents?

[@ireallydidntwanttomakeanac575]

A lot of these idents you have are incredibly high quality! How did you find them?

[@tomsmart7908]

The 1987 ident is so FUNKY!

[@deadaccount5]

My favourite idents are the ones used from 2007 - 2016

[@sammykenobi6307]

Chris Danby I agree 2007 - 2014 (because a funfair like ident was introduced in 2014) is very nostalgic to me.

[@deadaccount5]

Oh yeah, they had a makeover in 2014...

[@NathanSimpsonnathanisbeast]

I think you should do a End Credit review series with the likes of Ragdoll and Disney

[@CJT80]

I vaguley remember 1987 logo, but I really remember and LOVED the older logo's up to 1997 when I stopped watching Childrens TV and CBBC.

[@firewire7571]

I remember the 2007 ones, nostaliga

[@Jamster8399]

Can you do an ident review on the CITV Idents?

[@97channel]

"Children's" became a taboo word in the mid 90's. It's all "C" now. I think the 90's idents for Children's were the strongest. The ones before them bring back fond memories too. But from CBBC onwards, I think they went right downhill. Maybe it has something to do with me growing up and not watching it very much from that point onwards. Although the 2007 set, I do like the jingle. The newer version is not as good, but it's alright.

[@mclarenguy22]

I agree the 90’s Children’s idents were the best, although I do alos like the yellow/black ident package from ‘97 - ‘02. I grew up in the 00s. To be quite frank, I didn’t like ANY ident package I grew up with back then, although I fell in love with game shows such as GYOB, 50/50 and Raven before discovering classics on Challenge. I always loved the Dance and Rhythm ident packae seen on BBC One back then. The green blob idents were way too weird and surreal (which is probably why they were short lived) and the lack of jingle in some of them made them forgettable. I never worked out what they were supposed to represent. No wonder the yellow counterparts have since got incredible mileage. I wasn’t even a fan of the 2007 package, but the jingle added a little catchiness. I’m actually glad they finally diverted from the green colour and went multicolour from 2016 after years of one-dimensional innovation. The current jingle there is ok but is a bit flat. Could be catchier. The new logo is also neat for the mobile age, but I think the Children’s BBC package of the 90s really screamed kids’ TV. They were idents with nostalgic, colourful character.

[@Mr_Storm_22]

@@mclarenguy22 couldn't agree more

[@Mr_Storm_22]

@@mclarenguy22 BTW, the BBC One idents you mentioned, were actually called Rhythm and Movement

[@abbycollins]

I personally love the 2016 live-action variants because it focused on the fun that kids experience. Yes, it is lazy, I agree with that. But to me, it serves its purpose of showing kids that they're going to have a fun time.

[@apeculiarmingvase3800]

Maybe you should do an episode about the various animated idents from 1994-1997. I think they are among the best of the CBBC idents alongside the 2007-2016 ones.

[@kuroistuc]

1994 - 2001 was my era. Enjoyed the review. :)

[@midnightandtommy]

Those were my favourite too!

[@TonySpike]

If i remember the yellow background ones were created to coincide with each channel getting its own colour scheme (bbc one red, bbc 2 teal ect) hence the simple two tone, even the bbc logo got an update from rhombus to square

[@kylebulger4240]

You forgot the second phase of the yellow and black Idents in 2001 where the clips of the idents were mixed together and the jingle from 1994 was speed up,

[@atipajoel3944]

The 2007 idents were used until 2014 not 2016. In 2014 they kept the logo but it used a funfair-like look.

[@Mr_Storm_22]

Yeah

[@Bobbyandmog]

@@Mr_Storm_22 all CBBC fans: *we don't talk about the 2014-2016 idents*

[@Mr_Storm_22]

@@Bobbyandmog true, but I think they should be part of the history of CBBC

[@princewellidk]

@@Bobbyandmog why

[@princewellidk]

@@Bobbyandmog I didn't like the 2014 look.

[@chucklefun487]

Good video you should do a Citv idents video looking at Citv idents over the years.

[@nicolamarchbank1846]

My goodness does your age when you first see something affect your perception. I was an adult at University in 2002, so I have strong, nostalgic memories of the 1990s idents but very little exposure to CBBC after my mid-teens. Unfortunately, and this is just me, the green blobs have always looked like germs multiplying or bogies to me, and feels a little weird for having made that mental connection. Somehow I don't think that's what they were hoping for when they made these efforts, I can't help wondering how many other adults thought the same, and perhaps still do...

[@robokill387]

I'm pretty sure they're meant to be germs.

[@williamg209two]

cant wait for channel 4 idents

[@gabrielchee8470]

Best combo: Blobs with the 90s theme

[@NathanSimpsonnathanisbeast]

CBBC aired some of my childhood shows like Sidekick, Art Ninja, Brum And Most importantly Diddy Dick and Dom!

[@johnny_avg]

What about the 90's cartoon ones

[@tomsmart7908]

“Tell that aardvark, that’s a wrap!”

[@jamesdelboy]

CBBC had a version in Scotland Scotland was added to the ident it was done in a studio in Glasgow with Scottish presenters however when Up for it launched just the ident no announcement but after that CBBC started to use the normal CA's to introduce programmes

[@Mr_Storm_22]

When?

[@TheRetroMediaZone]

I really hope we can find a dump of the idents that was used on the BBC command pc so we can see it in HD

[@lilcoffeebandit]

i'm most nostalgic for the 80's and 90's idents. enjoyed the simplistic animations when it was rebranded, but had definitely stopped watching by the blobs of 2002! xD

[@hayleydennis5269]

when are doing channel 4 82

[@ethandtheangryenglishguy8253]

Why not do a LOGO review for CTV?

[@Aidenblox]

The Green Blobs from the early 2000's turned Yellow and moved to CBeebies! xD

[@realDonald-trump]

They got jaundice and had to be seperated from the main channel to avoid contamination xD

[@Npfooty]

Aidenblox I get it

[@JASpiring]

Incorrect. The CBBC green blobs and Cbeebies yellow blobs launched at the same time. Cbeebies has never changed it's logo.

[@patcjan84]

Did you do CBeebies ident review

[@Jackie_X7]

That background music is fire 🔥

[@TellyArchive]

8:30 There are a few other variations of this CBBC ident but mainly it’s just different the logo with different types of zooms, bumping around the screen and the blob skiing around a blue line

[@minorearthmajorsky1476]

My fave one was Defo 2007-2016

[@cylon6]

I think you should have included all of the idents from. 1994-1997. They were very creative and it was a shame they were all ditched for that yellow era.

[@thehammersmithcrumpetradar]

What’s wrong with the yellow indents?

[@cylon6]

@@thehammersmithcrumpetradar They're just yellow and black. They lacked the colour and variety of animation styles of what they replaced.

[@thesexychameleon37]

2007 to 2016 was the golden age.

[@ellieoroarty4246]

please do an ident review on the CITV idents!

[@akmedia8206]

I remember the 2002 idents with those weird alien things

[@bobbymckenna955]

They are called blobs

[@ms.antithesis]

Personally I'm nostalgic for the 2000s/early 10 design.

[@ms.antithesis]

It seems to me like early on cBBC where going for a younger audience until the mid 2000's when they separated from cbeebies and targeted the older kid/preteen audience.

[@wiintendo9609]

Quick correction: the Acorn designed ident was the first to mention CBBC, in the background

[@nicksullivan4994]

You forgot about The other 1994-1997 Children’s BBC Idents.❤️📺🎶👍🏻

[@MePeterNicholls]

With cost cutting going on now, I doubt the next iteration will be much

[@KyleJBAwesomeness-OfficialChan]

Do an ident review of the CBeebies channel its the one with the yellow bugs that channel is gonna be 20 years old next February 11, 2022

[@andreb2062]

Why am I surprised that at the part with the blobs they weren't talking about cbeebies

[@TheApqleGuy]

3:23 the 2010-2016 screen bug shows you can see it more at the end when that C appears

[@idiotuk]

I Lived With 2007-2016 Idents.

[@michaelbond4550]

2010 was my childhood.

[@user-rx4sz2wi5r]

I love the 1996 to the 2002 idents

[@SegaNintendoGuy64]

I miss the 90’s one.

[@beatrizmf9965]

The 1994 one keeps me looking at the E

[@Grantheoldladyxoxo]

Yay!

[@ghosh_tea4847]

You should do an E4 estings review

[@JennyAnnTea]

Oh yeah there are a lot of estings!

[@AnAltWindows7User]

I like 2005 - 2007 one and 1997 - 2002 too

[@Adadevoh2000]

You know Adam, my favorite ones were the 2002 idents, the 2005 idents and the 2016 idents.

[@madockjones9796]

same here the 2007 rebrand was terrible

[@dx_ream9277]

Madock Jones no just no

[@MrKpsuk84]

You didn't mention all the version idents used between 1994 and 1997

[@BugsBunnyandArchieMcIvor2024]

1987 ident music is catchy from the 80s

[@harveyroderick1986]

yeah

[@amberfranklin4499]

I most remember the bug/blob idents

[@madmurdock100]

You left off the 1986 ident music. Black background version for BBC 1, and a white background version for BBC 2

[@darioemmanueldelgado2621]

that cbbc is cool channel and that logo 2005-2007 is cool two cbbc in 3d

[@ethanduckworth6634]

The 2007 - 2016 should still be used today.

[@bbc2idends440]

My favourite ident so far 9:27

[@artsed08]

All about '91-'94

[@jongdaeisbrighterthanmyfut7418]

How about BBC Video idents next?

[@BellHillMayor]

I like the shaun the sheep ones the best :)

[@bouillonjules2]

Nah.1987-1990 was my era, having been born in 1974!!

[@JennyAnnTea]

Right with you there Jules I was born in ‘73!

[@williamcampbell7737]

On the latest ident, the big C spelled CBBC if u look close

[@thisisabadchannel.stopsubs2952]

it's supposed to lol

[@GamerKing50]

The newest logo looks almost retro in a way.

[@radiosaido66]

It kinda reminds me of the old BBC 1 Northern Ireland logo.

[@TellyArchive]

You missed out the 2014-2016 CBBC idents :)

[@ghosh_tea4847]

were they the 3D ones?

[@Mr_Storm_22]

@@ghosh_tea4847 they were the Fairground ones

[@sophie_drachen]

The ident at 1:52 had some funky music, although, why do the first few bars remind me of "Bad" by Michael Jackson? Wrong year, I know!

[@timgoodwin4424]

You really have been watching Bob the fish productions. Kids are all right is his series covering cbbc and citv. It is on vimeo. He also goes by the name of applemask on another KZbin channel

[@Grantheoldladyxoxo]

Children's BBC 1991-1994 CBBC 2007-2016

[@lucialambda]

i grew up with the idents from 2005 - 2007 including the first blobs and the letter segmented logo ones. seeing those was so nostalgic. oh how they butchered the logo.............

[@HenryCooke2011]

You forgot the 2010 idents!

[@richardwhelan4727]

General Logo History 1:31 1985-1991 3:22 1991-1997 4:13 1991-1997 (Secondary) 5:23 1997-2002 6:47 2002-2006 8:29 2002-2006 (Secondary) 9:13 2006-2016 10:23 2016-now

[@Nitrooooooogen]

7:05 wow 😄😄😄

[@Nitrooooooogen]

it’s been 2 years since I made this comment, and NO ONE has replied (except for me.)

[@owenrobinson7436]

You forgot the 2014 idents

[@coleisforrobot]

I don't hate 2016. It is definitely the worst one, but not bad. The logo in 2016 was horrible, it took me years to figure out it was bits of the word CBBC

[@camijs5466]

i still don't get the ball of arrows.

[@ghosh_tea4847]

I remember the 2002-2019 ones I was born in 2006 so I kinda remember the ones that are blobs Then of coarse the one after that. Then mostly the main green black and white CBBC logo that screams in my ear hole CBBC.And obviously the colourful rebrand one.

[@WindowsFanatic]

I was born in July 2nd, 2009.

[@ghosh_tea4847]

Windows 7 Fanatic 2013 nice, October 2nd 2006

[@WindowsFanatic]

@@ghosh_tea4847 Thanks!

[@Mr_Storm_22]

@@WindowsFanaticHave a good birthday this Thursday then

[@WindowsFanatic]

@@Mr_Storm_22 Thank you!

[@animationtelevisioncore3022]

I like the blob ident better it was so good

[@baedenwilliams8291]

7:24 Weeeeee!