(Outdated) History of BBC Election Night intros - Intro Collector History

Evolution of Election Night intros by the BBC from 1945 until 2019.
Signation: 0:00
1945: 0:13
1950/51: 0:44
1955: 1:04
1959: 1:33
1964: 3:01
1966: 4:12
1970: 5:23
1974 (2x): 6:12
1979: 7:11
1983: 8:02
1987: 9:12
1992: 9:53
1997: 10:55
2001: 11:57
2005: 12:56
2010: 13:56
2011: 15:13
2015: 15:31
2016: 16:29
2017: 17:09
2019: 18:08
History request list: docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...
Instagram: / intro_collector
© British Broadcasting Corporation 1945-2019
Original uploads by: British Council, MrElectionist, chris latimer, Flora, Mooncat, Timewarp With A Television, endlessraining, thatcheritescot, David Boothroyd, KirkOShotts, Mo Ahmed, ElectionsUK, Television Moments

[@jasondurgalajr5208]

I'm not even British, but I'm excited to hear this theme again on July 4th!

[@Trudy_xx2025]

Me too !!

[@robjohnson1530]

Ill be watching with great interest today.... youll unveil exit polls around 5pm my time here in the US East... and lemme tell ya something I cant help but think about how 248 years ago today, we told King George and England "we got this, Georgie, get lost!".... yet today you are voting in a new Parliament with people more qualified for office than the sludge we seem to vote in or even vote to nominate! So hopefully this will be a lesson for the US in how democracy is truly supposed to work!

[@SylviusTheMad]

I love how much the graphics in each era resemble the Doctor Who intro from the same period.

[@MatthewOkot]

1979 - King Arthur and David Dimbleby, the start of a new era in BBC Election Night broadcasting

[@Leonards-leopard]

every few years they try to kill off king arthur, but it always comes back

[@zacharyclark5617]

It's just that good

[@damonlay7562]

Yes is my favorite group, and Wakeman my favorite keyboardist. I love this.

[@123penfold]

Arthur heralds decision day for the country. They change the tune at there peril.

[@ChanT3]

They need to permanently get rid of that meh at best sound

[@markoko27]

​​@@ChanT3 Maybe they just favor Wakeman though, but, they play it, not rid of it. This is a kind of music that is truly for the BBC elections event that happen every year when there is a general election.

[@Trist314]

It’s like watching all the doctor who intros but for politics

[@ndulmillenium]

It's not the elephants and donkeys, but they have the spirit.

[@unecstacy9698]

To be fair, I do reckon David Cameron would've made an epic Doctor if he went into acting instead of politics. He just has 'that look', y'know? Bumbling Boris?... erm...

[@jameskvo]

1974 intro is very slick and creative - especially for the time

[@Blubatt]

The music for 1979's General Election coverage was, to my ears, the best version. The prog rock soundtrack to a generation defining election

[@zetametallic]

1979 is banging! By far the best.

[@andyf750]

The 1974 one is brilliant! Like a theme tune to a drama series about a bomb disposal squad!

[@Penguin-24S99]

It's Thursday, 4th July, polling day and the exit poll shows a labour majority with a landslide hoping to hear that very shortly

[@moramento22]

I really like that "like father, like son" fact that both Richard Dimbleby and his son David Dimbleby presented general election nights on BBC

[@lightchipster]

One of David Dimbleby's sons, Fred, studied media at uni and was in the ITV mentoring scheme last year, he might eventually be the third generation broadcasting Dimbleby. DIMBLEBOT HAS DEFEATED BIO DIMBLEBY.

[@moramento22]

@@lightchipster Truly amazing broadcasting family!

[@himagainstill]

In 1964, David was reporting from a count site and threw back to Richard in the studio, who picked up with "Thanks, son."

[@moramento22]

@@himagainstill That's so cool!

[@TheTrueTeaLord]

hmm, yes...someone works in an important news job (whos father also worked in an important news job btw) is somehow succeeded in his job by...his son...

[@alcarbo8613]

That 2001 theme is just awful what were they thinking, the theme used from 2010-2017 wasn’t bad but they were smart to go back to King Arthur it’s just so good

[@GusPlayer94]

the late 90s/early 2000s were unrecognisably optimistic, I suppose that theme reflects that.

[@KenhCuaDaoLeMinh]

They can't deal with the composer for copyright to use at that time.

[@mix3k818]

Ech, I like it!

[@sillygoose635]

idk about you but the 2001 theme was pretty good

[@RBenjo21]

@@KenhCuaDaoLeMinhThe story goes that apparently for 2010 they wanted to charge Rick Wakeman to use it (rather than the other way round), and he told them where they could shove it!

[@allcannonsfirefire8350]

Cool how in 79 Callahan looks to the left and Thatcher to the right

[@XoanAlcalde]

Finally, Arthur's theme!!!!!

[@unecstacy9698]

17:05 I don't know why, but the way it just abruptly cuts off is just so humorous to me. Just like "Sorry, we know you were expecting the results. But, for the referendum, it's just not going to be possible. Goodnight!".

[@richardgregory3684]

FYI from 1979 the effects might LOOK like CGI, but they are mostly done by hand animation and camera techniques, espescially "slitscan" (which was also used to produce the 'time tunnel' effects in the opening sequences for the early Tom Baker stories). Only in 1987 onwards (with the rotating Houses of Parliament) is it actually CGI.

[@alcarbo8613]

I hope they stick with King Arthur in 2024

[@gamingbandit42]

They did lol. Labour Landslide

[@jezt42]

07:11: The King Arthur theme finally arrives in 1979! 09:53: 1992 - The best orchestral version of the theme, IMO. Curious that in 1974, they use a countdown motif, similar in style to the BBC News theme years later. Thanks for the upload: fascinating and much appreciated! 👍

[@gabbro1_738]

The 1992 intro is my fav ever

[@stepdoran]

‘92, when they embraced the full ‘top of the pops’ set.

[@bosserman444]

What does top of the pops mean? Sorry I’m American

[@MintiesPoopin]

@@bosserman444if your song topped the charts in the UK, you’d be invited by the BBC to do a performance of that song in one of their sets in front of a small live audience. I’m guessing the original comment is referring to the ‘92 election set being very much in the style of Top Of The Pops.

[@stickytapenrust6869]

@@bosserman444Top of the Pops was a pop music show on BBC1 that focused on the top 30 (later top 40) charts. It mixed performances by bands of their latest chart hitters in a studio set that looked like a nightclub with pop videos or a dance troupe dancing to the track of a song if a band couldn’t make it to the studio.

[@panda-wk8mv]

remember the 2010 one because I was so pissed off, I was 2 months too young to vote and I had so many opinions!

[@Penguin-24S99]

I was like that with the 2017 snap election and really wanted to vote in it.

[@conscienceaginBlackadder]

That is seriously oppression and wants writing about. No prevention of dangers to kids is achieved by a voting age, and it is now 50 years since book Escape From Childhood, by school liberaliser John Holt, 1971, made the case that it's perfectly practical not to have one, and to start voting whenever personally motivated to. I passed British Con (now called Politics) O-level at 13, + no adult raving over it ever said a word about votes at that age as a result.

[@THELEICESTERFOX]

I missed out 2005 by months. Annoying that there wasnt another by 2010. 4 years from 2001 and yet 5 until 2010...🙄

[@nicknirlin6969]

On July 4th, I really hope David Dimbleby will present the show. Proper legend

[@UAndWeAreSTV1]

He wont. It'll be Clive Myerie (idk how to spell his last name) and Laura Kuessenberg

[@WRCSeb]

Hope the classic theme tune is used on Thursday

[@user-od8yd7hl3d]

Wow!! This is getting me all excited for Thursday night!!

[@jamiengo2343]

Election 1997 was a great intro!

[@ef888]

Great intro to a great election

[@THELEICESTERFOX]

Some of it bizzare but one of the grandest 'Arthur' themes. Things were changing...

[@jamiengo2343]

@@THELEICESTERFOX the Arthur theme for the 1987/1992 election was the best IMO

[@TomJohnson67]

The 2010-2019 theme - very similar to Cities Skylines.

[@willfrost5368]

The 97 version was fantastic

[@charliedring4092]

Imagine, "some 24 hours ago the polling stations closed" - Now we get our first results around 11 o clock (50 mins after polls close)

[@jamiengo2343]

In America it’s taken a good week to get the results in and declare a winner, here it takes about 12 hours

[@measelcatches3202]

@@jamiengo2343 it only took a week because of mail votes and because there are so many people. In 2008 we knew who had won by like 10 pm

[@jamiengo2343]

@@measelcatches3202 true, though if I think correctly, the way in which votes are counted are similar to how Britain counts. Britain counts votes in constituencies, 650 different areas of the U.K. I may be wrong, but don’t the US count in counties similar to constituencies? Thus, you would simply have to upsize everything and it shouldn’t take too long.

[@markwrenn8569]

The thing I really don't understand about American elections is how they can declare somebody as the winner on the basis of 5% of the votes having been counted in a particular Congressional district. In the U.K., we would never dream of doing something so presumptuous!

[@jamiengo2343]

@@markwrenn8569 tbf, for some of the states it’s pretty obvious who will win, and there’s not much point in drawing it out. As an equivalence, you could take the individual states as mini countries, and the projections as the exit polls.

[@arzhakiemagine]

to be honest, I really like watching old black and white videos. But the King Arthur theme is always be the gorgeous initial of election program in UK, if I could say.

[@insertclevername4123]

I love the Arthur, but in terms of the combination of music and visuals, I don't think you can beat the whole feel of the 1974 intros.

[@anthonykennedy5069]

Man I got a give you credit that is a lot of work you’ve done well done

[@louies8161]

2010 Election theme music is epic.

[@ceefax152]

July 2024 general election incoming

[@yorkeltonnocarepenelopedor3589]

In 2019, there was a remastered version of the 1987 theme with BBC Beeping sounds in it.

[@Bongaboi151]

Countdown pips, combining the old with the new.

[@jgsh8062]

Loved the 2019 one. The beeping sounds made it more suspenseful and exciting

[@souvikrc4499]

@@jgsh8062 Agreed. It’s a nice blend of the old and the new.

[@saidachakir4345]

Prefer the Wales Today theme instead.

[@mohamedfourati2736]

Et bien sûr, générique BFMTV avec triangles i>tele et hexagones 19.45 en fond.

[@paulblight8919]

It can only be Arthur. Long long long may it continue .... Dont mind a change in variation but it must always be Arthur !! :)

[@Black-White85]

There was a different intro in Feb 1974, that one is from October only. Re 1970 there was a proper intro later on that night, that opener wasn't it as they were only on for a short while before returning later for the full results.

[@deanunio]

I actually prefer the 2010 - 2017 music. I think it’s more exciting!! Arthur is good too but I think the other one is majestic

[@bosserman444]

I really hope they change the visual up this year, it hasn’t changed since 2015!

[@ChenWang5]

My favourite introduction would be probably the 1997 one. It showed the beauties of the United Kingdom, the White Cliffs of Dover, the fields, the rivers, the cities. And of course Arthur. The 2019 one used Arthur so that was a plus but the intro video is so generic, being used for the 2015, 2017, 2019 elections. Why can't the BBC's budget update to another one? Also, the song was less enthusiastic and dramatic.

[@linmanfu913]

Because election coverage is so expensive, they fully replace the designs every four-five years (the normal length of a Parliament). Any 'extra' elections re-use the last design.

[@JustAPlainPlane4681]

to be fair, my fav is the 2005 election, the intro just really fly by fast from the big ben to the television center and it kindy fits the arthur theme as well

[@mildlydispleased3221]

It will be almost ten years of using the same intro if they use it again this year, I really hope they will show up something new.

[@L1verpool1]

I love the 83 version which feels like it gets faster and faster as the intro continues. POLLS POLLS POLLS RESULTS RESULTS RESULTS

[@FortunePodcast]

1974 intro was absolutely brilliant

[@shauncraigparkinson8165]

thank you for all your intro collections. Would love it if you could compile Elections from ITN, now known as ITV News.

[@arwelp]

They should bring back “Arthur” as the theme - “Whosoever pulleth the sword from this stone and anvil is the trueborn king of all Britain”!

[@mr.communist3906]

arwelp “whoso pulleth out this key from ballot and ballot box, shall be the trueborn prime minister of all the UK”

[@thithanhhuynh8463]

"Arthur theme has been bring back."

[@gerryofmander8663]

"Whosoever receiveth the most votes in this count and constituency is the trueborn Member of Parliament for all of said constituency".

[@danieljenks3722]

1992 is my personal favourite. Not like they were showing off or anything 😂

[@db7541]

Honestly I think the best o these is 2019. T uses the classic Arthur theme with an update to take it out of the 80s, with nice visuals that were admittedly getting a little stale by then. 2010, 2005 and 1983 are also personal favourites. Hoping this year to see new visuals with Arthur where it belongs.

[@annabelthegreat]

1974 reminds me of the countdown clock!!

[@eelsemaj99]

Arthur is obviously the best but the 1959/64 theme is great too

[@Joshlama]

Not British at all, but do like introductions. Here's my favorites - Between 1945-1983 (Pre-CGI): 1974 (6:12) - smooth cinematography showing the different people and jobs on election night. Highly Commend 1964 (3:01) for trying to do that with the whole team behind the scenes walking around the floor, although it does look a bit silly to us nearly 60 years later. - Between 1987-2005 (CGI, Pre-HD): 2001 (11:57) - is the only one in these introductions which focuses on the issues facing the voting public. Critiques with media in Westminster based parliaments is that we focus so much on *who* will be prime minister (which the public don't vote on, the public vote on local members who are part of parties) rather than what the voting public are trying to achieve with their vote. I commend 1992 (9:53) for trying to update the 1974 introduction (shows the whole team not just the presenters), but I like 1974 more because this one seem to be media naval-gazing. 2010 onwards: I like none of these. 2019 (18:08) is ok I guess.

[@anonUK]

If the 1983 intro wasn't fully digital, it certainly had CGI elements. The BBC had Quantel Paintbox CGI by then- so the effects were definitely a hybrid of CGI and traditional graphics.

[@artsed08]

You're probably a little bit British. I expect we ruled your country at some point or other.

[@Телеканал-ак47]

Merry Christmas! 🎄🎄🎄🎁

[@user-tv2bz2ci6b]

I love the 1979 one, with the perfect Arthur and stunning graphics. The 1983 intro comes very close, but that version of the theme sounds very much The Who, either Who's Next or Tommy era. 1974 is fabulous though. Incredibly well-edited, edgy and artsy. The percussion is jazz, man! Hyping up the tension.

[@danieljackson2322]

Gives me goosebumps watching this

[@stevouk]

1959 and 1964 they went with the Battle of Agincourt from Walton's music for the film of "Henry V". By 1966 it was the frantic Allegro from Shostakovich's 10th Symphony, which was (allegedly) Shostakovich's portrait of Stalin.

[@charliedring4092]

You can see how much a surprise the 2017 election was, They never changed the into theme.

[@mildlydispleased3221]

And they kept the same footage for 2019, I really hope they make a better intro this year.

[@jardon8636]

the 1987 theme is the best one , far superior to others....the 2019 is adapted from the 1987 one...

[@arzhakiemagine]

1979, 1983, 1992, 1997, and 2005 intros use the Arthur Theme also. But it was just a bit in 1979 and 1983.

[@joshyboy1983]

Sweet! Maybe do all the election night opens for CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX, CBC, CTV?

[@Ben2Men]

I’m sorry but I think the 1966 intro is terrifying... Not bad, just genuinely scary. Something about the music and the graphics.

[@westminsterwatcher5152]

Marvellous!!!

[@BigLar-pp6ej]

Fascinating

[@adamcormie3362]

The 92 and 97 intros were epic

[@saidian2246]

2019 was a bit muted compared to the other arrangements of that theme, hoping tomorrow's is better

[@selvifrost8089]

The 79 and 83 are my personal faves!!

[@realnoahsimpson]

nothing can beat 1997

[@artsed08]

Except 1992.

[@iancruise6927]

Richard Dimbleby in 1964 presenting shortly before his untimely death

[@Erlichten2electricboogaloo]

1979, 2005, 2010 and 2019 are the best

[@auberginereverie]

1992 is one of the best

[@auberginereverie]

9:53 Nostalagic.

[@acetrainerarjun821]

Whosoever pulls out the sword from this stone and anvil, is the true-born king of all Britain

[@reporterborracho]

The UK’s Prime minister elected: 1945 - Clement Attlee (Labour) 1950 - Clement Attlee (Labour) 1951 - Winston Churchill (Conservative) 1955 - Anthony Eden (Conservative) 1959 - Harold Macmilan (Conservative) 1964 - Harold Wilson (Labour) 1966 - Harold Wilson (Labour) 1970 - Edward Heath (Conservative) February 1974 - Harold Wilson (Labour) October 1974 - Harold Wilson (Labour) 1979 - Margaret Thatcher (Conservative) 1983 - Margaret Thatcher (Conservative) 1987 - Margaret Thatcher (Conservative) 1992 - John Major (Conservative) 1997 - Tony Blair (Labour) 2001 - Tony Blair (Labour) 2005 - Tony Blair (Labour) 2010 - David Cameron (Conservative) 2011 - UK’s Alternative Vote referendum (‘No’ wins) 2015 - David Cameron (Conservative) 2016 - Brexit wins 2017 - Thereza May (Conservative) 2019 - Boris Johnson (Conservative)

[@RandomVidsforthought]

Theresa not thereza

[@anperson8329]

And the moral of the story is...never hold a general election in a year ending in 9.

[@reporterborracho]

​@@RandomVidsforthoughtcorrrected

[@RandomVidsforthought]

@@reporterborracho Ok

[@CeticWales]

2005 was the first election I could vote in and the first election coverage I watched,

[@markwrenn8569]

If you want to include the local elections and Alternative Vote referendum in 2011 and the EU membership referendum in 2016 in this collection, it's a bit weird that there's no mention of the EEC membership referendum in 1975, the devolution referenda in Scotland and Wales in 1979 and 1999, and the Scottish independence referendum in 2014, don't you think?

[@vilhelmea]

The first one looks like a very old film start

[@moramento22]

It's probably a newsreel

[@machecor]

In fact you can see it isn't made by the BBC, but by the British Council.

[@markwrenn8569]

Because it was. It was a film produced by the British Council (an organization which promotes British culture abroad), not the BBC

[@arwelp]

@@markwrenn8569It couldn’t have been BBC TV because tv broadcasting didn’t restart after the war until May 1946.

[@richardgregory3684]

The 1959 music is very ominous, like a mixture of _Jaws_ and _Mars, God of War_ 1979 saw the first use of the "Arthur" theme composed by Rick Wakeman.

[@MisterPolitical1]

6:12 It's only used for the October 1974 election but fanfare for the common man is used for the February election.

[@davida3970]

I prefer the 2010 theme going through all previous pms

[@carlingblacklabel2864]

In February 1974 the theme and opening titles were different to October. The theme was Copland's Fanfare of the common man, and the opening can be seen here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pKvcgnpvasd8ibs

[@cuthbertad]

Love the use of Shostakovich in 1966. BBC staff milling around in the background walking aimlessly in 1964 was odd. IMHO 1974 has a lot going for it.

[@TheOfficialSJCProductions]

Which piece?!

[@Joshlama]

I somewhat like the staff walking around the election room to create a sence of business.

[@glennartstuffs-freejazzfil4730]

Did anyone else realise that the first year that the presenter wasn't speaking with RP was 2019?

[@markbenjamin1703]

The Decline of Britain

[@glennartstuffs-freejazzfil4730]

@@markbenjamin1703 lmao

[@Ben2Men]

2:42 Sounds like the audio tape literally snapped… couldn’t handle going higher another key 😂😂

[@conscienceaginBlackadder]

2:26 Discussing censorship with the Bishop of Woolwich + a Nude Man.

[@HowardSalwasser]

And in 2022, you telling us this. And now...

[@johnluuee]

They should just use the 1999 news 24 count down. Perfect fit for this.😂

[@KevinM913]

The themes from the 1960’s were scary.

[@frim3647]

More than 50 years of practice and somehow the best graphics they can muster in 2015-2019 are 1,000 different shots of Westminster :/

[@Penguin-24S99]

The 2015 westminster one was reused in 2017 as it was a surprise snap election same with 2019 nobody expected an election in December. Here's hoping they come up with something new this year for 2024

[@tomsheldon4950]

Oh no, another snap poll, hope they return to the 2010 theme this year, my favorite imo​@Penguin-24S99

[@fhs2004jtwwf2007]

1983 is underrated

[@realhorsegaming]

There was no General Election in 2016, that was the Brexit referendum.

[@ef888]

No General Election 2011 either, not sure what that was

[@michaelheeheejackson7255]

@@ef888 locals? Idk weird though

[@ef888]

Michael ‘Hee Hee’ Jackson I googled it, it might’ve been the alternative vote referendum the Lib Dems got as part of the coalition agreement

[@paddystrongjaw9995]

@@ef888 it was

[@RandomVidsforthought]

@@ef888 Check the description you

[@fanyt1894]

1974 my fav

[@GalexionSDVX]

Come on you killed the 7 year streak

[@db7541]

I would quite like to know who at the BBC looked at the new opening used yesterday and thought, yeah, that’s good, we can use that. It was pretty awful even if I’m glad Arthur is still around

[@hunterdirector]

1992 best by far

[@wessexfox5197]

Missed the February 1974 one which was different from October.

[@creynolds094]

Request: History of ITV Election Night Intros

[@alfiejmulcahy]

I second this

[@henrythomasbarthram6065]

Why does the music sound like the Pet Shop Boys "It's A Sin"? LMAO

[@RogueNationVideos]

'79 did not have to rock that hard

[@insertclevername4123]

True, but they made up for it in the end...I realize computer graphics were crap back in the day, but yikes, they turned David Steel into a dot matrix gremlin.

[@timmeh1507]

Am I the only one who likes the 2001 credits and theme? 😅

[@rasulqayrosh]

Request: Aqparat (Qazaqstan TV Channel)

[@louisbeerreviews8964]

What

[@carlosmpsenyorcapitacollon6977]

Were the 1945 and 1951 also in TV?

[@reddolphin0727]

5:24

[@bjalborough]

Do we know who composed the 1964 theme?

[@faturhidayat9622]

Request: history of buletin INews siang (GTV(Indonesia))

[@rezaalan3991]

1974 election held two times? It's hard to choose where's favourite. Next how about US election but what channel who had best and unique election intro in the US?

[@adnaanthedon]

Yes in February and October. The election in February resulted in a hung parliament with a Lab Min gov which then collapsed so a snap election was held in October where Labour narrowly won a majority. I do believe different intros where used but I am not 100% sure. US election intro compilation would be good, personally I like MSNBC and CNN's intros the best.

[@Croston70]

Yes. For the Febraury election the BBC used Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man to introduce the results show. The Intro shown in this video was only used for the October election.

[@yorkeltonnocarepenelopedor3589]

NBC and CBS Elections intros are the best

[@alcarbo8613]

In the US every Channel has their own news theme which they play all the time nothing special for Elections

[@k2playpedroariel481]

@@alcarbo8613 Same here in Brazil, nothing special as you said so. Every TV and radio station has a different music theme for any year like Globo and RedeTV! as an example, except Band which it uses the same theme since 1989 (which it is "of course" an stock music from an Valentino Production library album composed by Walter Murphy in 1983) and they never changed it or stop licensing the music because it is a classic, known until today by many brazilians as the "anthem of the democracy".

[@ominous7271]

MON THE LABOUR

[@dean.haraldkolompar7624]

9:15

[@user-pl6ox5xt6y]

RTRS Dnevnik