The creative minds at Lambie-Nairn were behind BBC One’s latest ident, which debuted a hot air balloon adorned with the channel’s signature globe pattern. Filmed over an intensive six-week period in July 1997, the vibrant red and yellow balloon was captured at 10 iconic locations across the UK, including London’s Canary Wharf, Scotland’s Forth Bridge, Cardiff’s City Hall, and Northern Ireland’s Grey Abbey. As part of this £500,000 initiative, cameraman Simon Werry shot the balloon footage from a helicopter.
Alan Yentob, the Director of Television, reflected on the new design, stating, “The rapidly evolving landscape of the broadcasting industry necessitates a more versatile and engaging identity for BBC One. The globe has long been synonymous with our flagship channel, and the hot air balloon serves as an imaginative vehicle to underscore BBC One’s universal appeal.”
BBC One Launch Day “Balloon” Idents – 4th October 1997
The BBC One balloon ident came in an impressive array of 47 distinct variations, all originally filmed in widescreen. However, audiences were unable to experience them in this format until October 1998. The extensive collection was organised into four regional sets: English, Irish, Scottish, and Welsh. Below, you’ll find a curated selection from the original 47 variations.
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
4th October 1997
Views: 4666
Likes: 15
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
4th October 1997
Views: 1050
Likes: 2
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
4th October 1997
Views: 1014
Likes: 2
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
4th October 1997
Views: 817
Likes: 2
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
4th October 1997
Views: 722
Likes: 2
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
4th October 1997
Views: 822
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
4th October 1997
Views: 961
Likes: 2
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
4th October 1997
Views: 622
Likes: 2
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
4th October 1997
Views: 810
Likes: 6
Format: 4:3
BBC One Continuity
Within a year, the roster of idents was expanded to include new captivating locations. In Autumn 1998, additions featured scenes from the Isle of Wight, Norfolk, St Michael’s Mount, Blackpool Tower, and Ireland’s Dunluce Castle. The following year, the iconic Angel of the North, the Second Severn Bridge, and Glasgow’s Armadillo building were incorporated. By March 2000, four more idents were introduced, each uniquely spotlighting human subjects.
New, it's not
Quality: ST
1999
Views: 1032
Likes: 7
Format: 16:9
New, it's not
Quality: ST
2000
Views: 635
Likes: 2
Format: 16:9
New, it's not
Quality: ST
2000
Views: 611
Likes: 2
Format: 16:9
New, it's not
Quality: ST
2nd April 2000
Views: 630
Likes: 2
Format: 16:9
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
28th June 2000
Views: 575
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
10th July 2000
Views: 466
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
28th August 2000
Views: 554
Likes: 1
Format: 16:9
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
28th August 2000
Views: 582
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
18th October 2000
Views: 485
Likes: 2
Format: 16:9
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
24th December 2000
Views: 664
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: ST
2000
Views: 601
Likes: 3
Format: 16:9
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
2001
Views: 360
Likes: 2
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
2001
Views: 366
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
2001
Views: 548
Likes: 3
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: ST
2001
Views: 573
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
29th January 2001
Views: 368
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
31st March 2001
Views: 778
Likes: 3
Format: 16:9
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
2nd July 2001
Views: 372
Likes: 0
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
2nd July 2001
Views: 414
Likes: 0
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
10th August 2001
Views: 413
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: ST
27th August 2001
Views: 340
Likes: 2
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
21st September 2001
Views: 516
Likes: 3
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1st December 2001
Views: 436
Likes: 0
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
24th December 2001
Views: 545
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: ST
26th December 2001
Views: 540
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: ST
26th December 2001
Views: 553
Likes: 2
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: ST
circa December 2001
Views: 705
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: ST
31st December 2001
Views: 700
Likes: 2
Format: 16:9
New, it's not
Quality: ST
28th January 2002
Views: 1016
Likes: 6
Format: 16:9
New, it's not
Quality: ST
29th March 2002
Views: 1225
Likes: 7
Format: 16:9
BBC One Clean Balloon Idents
Presenting the complete collection of all 47 original 1997 idents in their full splendour, alongside a selection of subsequent widescreen additions.
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
Date unknown
Views: 327
Likes: 2
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 455
Likes: 3
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 422
Likes: 2
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 310
Likes: 2
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 232
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 229
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 226
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 239
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 199
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 242
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 249
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 323
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 227
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 247
Likes: 3
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 248
Likes: 2
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 195
Likes: 3
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 288
Likes: 3
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 264
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 305
Likes: 2
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 174
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 157
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 268
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 258
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 229
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 218
Likes: 2
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 276
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 157
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 375
Likes: 4
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 199
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 363
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 230
Likes: 2
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 338
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 223
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 321
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 202
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 227
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 228
Likes: 2
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 262
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 269
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 266
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 328
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 226
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 206
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 361
Likes: 2
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 297
Likes: 2
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 225
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 377
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 741
Likes: 4
Format: 4:3
Here is all the 2000 people idents in all their glory as well.
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
2000
Views: 1159
Likes: 1
Format: 16:9
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
2000
Views: 808
Likes: 1
Format: 16:9
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
2000
Views: 716
Likes: 2
Format: 16:9
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
2000
Views: 686
Likes: 2
Format: 16:9
BBC One Special Balloon Idents
New, it's not
Quality: ST
1999
Views: 413
Likes: 16
Format: 16:9
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
7th August 1999
Views: 335
Likes: 16
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: ST
2nd October 1999
Views: 402
Likes: 16
Format: 16:9
New, it's not
Quality: ST
2000
Views: 705
Likes: 3
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: ST
2000
Views: 392
Likes: 1
Format: 16:9
New, it's not
Quality: ST
2000
Views: 333
Likes: 3
Format: 16:9
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
27th June 2000
Views: 364
Likes: 2
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: ST
12th September 2000
Views: 443
Likes: 1
Format: 16:9
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
17th October 2000
Views: 345
Likes: 1
Format: 16:9
New, it's not
Quality: LQ
2001
Views: 280
Likes: 16
Format: 16:9
New, it's not
Quality: LQ
2001
Views: 450
Likes: 16
Format: 16:9
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
11th September 2001
Views: 1051
Likes: 16
Format: 16:9
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
15th November 2001
Views: 316
Likes: 16
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
Date unknown
Views: 182
Likes: 0
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 144
Likes: 0
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 182
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: ST
1997
Views: 133
Likes: 0
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: ST
1997
Views: 139
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: ST
1997
Views: 165
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
6th October 1997
Views: 95
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
22nd November 1997
Views: 161
Likes: 0
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
21st December 1997
Views: 132
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
21st December 1997
Views: 208
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
25th December 1997
Views: 118
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: ST
28th December 1997
Views: 158
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
31st December 1997
Views: 147
Likes: 0
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: ST
1998
Views: 146
Likes: 0
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1998
Views: 81
Likes: 0
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
9th April 1998
Views: 126
Likes: 0
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
10th April 1998
Views: 163
Likes: 0
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
28th May 1998
Views: 92
Likes: 0
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
14th June 1998
Views: 80
Likes: 0
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: ST
6th August 1998
Views: 119
Likes: 0
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: ST
24th September 1998
Views: 148
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
23rd December 1998
Views: 148
Likes: 2
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
25th December 1998
Views: 211
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
25th December 1998
Views: 109
Likes: 2
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
26th December 1998
Views: 142
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
26th December 1998
Views: 93
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
9th May 1999
Views: 300
Likes: 0
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
7th August 1999
Views: 177
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
7th August 1999
Views: 80
Likes: 0
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: ST
24th December 1999
Views: 176
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: ST
2000
Views: 169
Likes: 0
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: ST
2000
Views: 123
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
28th August 2000
Views: 118
Likes: 0
Format: 16:9
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
3rd October 2000
Views: 121
Likes: 0
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
3rd October 2000
Views: 122
Likes: 0
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
18th October 2000
Views: 120
Likes: 0
Format: 16:9
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
25th December 2000
Views: 208
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
26th December 2000
Views: 79
Likes: 0
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
2001
Views: 82
Likes: 0
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
2001
Views: 130
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: ST
2001
Views: 118
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: ST
2001
Views: 192
Likes: 0
Format: 16:9
New, it's not
Quality: ST
2001
Views: 148
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: ST
12th January 2001
Views: 147
Likes: 0
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
29th January 2001
Views: 38
Likes: 0
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
2nd April 2001
Views: 48
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
4th July 2001
Views: 154
Likes: 0
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
9th November 2001
Views: 182
Likes: 0
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
15th November 2001
Views: 224
Likes: 0
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1st December 2001
Views: 124
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: ST
26th December 2001
Views: 130
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: ST
2002
Views: 187
Likes: 1
Format: 16:9
New, it's not
Quality: ST
2002
Views: 171
Likes: 1
Format: 16:9
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1st March 2002
Views: 289
Likes: 0
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: ST
22nd March 2002
Views: 246
Likes: 0
Format: 16:9
New, it's not
Quality: LQ
28th March 2002
Views: 109
Likes: 0
Format: 16:9
BBC One Holding Slides
Even with the advent of digital TV intensifying competition, programme slides continued to be an integral part of BBC’s on-air presentation. However, both channels transitioned to a more utilitarian slide design in 1997, featuring merely the channel’s name and eschewing any of their unique stylistic elements.
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
3rd October 2000
Views: 188
Likes: 0
Format: 4:3
Inside Story
Song Of The South Holding Slide
Holding Slide
Eclipse Online
They Think It’s All Over
The Fix
BBC News 24
The Cover Girl Murders
Back To The Future III
Attack Of The 50-Foot Woman
Starring Julie
Doctor Who Online
Weather
Lust For Murder
Fear Of A Calm Blue Sea
Watchdog Healthcheck
Omnibus
Jericho Fever
Eastenders
The Weakest Link
Match Of The Day
Top Of The Pops
The Cisco Kid
Queen’s Tennis
Malice
Inside Story
Moving Target
Holiday You Call The Shots
America Under Siege
Wind In The Willows
Royal Ascot Highlights
It’s Only TV But I Like It
Eastenders
Ironside
Battersea Dogs’ Home
Unlikely Angel
BBC One – September 11th 2001
Coverage of BBC One during the 11th September 2001 terror attacks.
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
11th September 2001
Views: 642
Likes: 2
Format: 16:9
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
11th September 2001
Views: 602
Likes: 3
Format: 16:9
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
11th September 2001
Views: 528
Likes: 2
Format: 16:9
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
11th September 2001
Views: 565
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
12th September 2001
Views: 450
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
12th September 2001
Views: 358
Likes: 1
Format: 4:3
BBC One Miscellaneous Items
A selection of miscellaneous clips.
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
1997
Views: 295
Likes: 5
Format: 14:9
New, it's not
Quality: ST
1998
Views: 317
Likes: 2
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
31st December 1998
Views: 125
Likes: 2
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: ST
2000
Views: 358
Likes: 2
Format: 4:3
New, it's not
Quality: HQ
29th March 2002
Views: 623
Likes: 1
Format: 16:9