BBC2 1991 – 1997 Branding

In 1987, Alan Yentob succeeded Graeme McDonald as the controller of BBC2. Recognising that the channel’s existing identity was detrimental to its image, Yentob initiated a comprehensive review that would ultimately give rise to an iconic brand. Market research conducted in 1990 disclosed that many viewers perceived the “TWO” logo as stale and outdated. In response, branding expert Martin Lambie-Nairn was commissioned to reimagine the channel’s identity. The outcome was a bold, sans-serif numeral “2,” versatile enough to be adapted across various branding elements.

Unveiled on February 16, 1991, the new “2” logo transformed public perception of BBC2, even though the channel’s programming remained consistent. This numeral “2” has since etched itself into the annals of branding history, becoming one of the most cherished channel symbols ever. The initial launch featured 11 different idents, with the “Garden” variant being added later in the same year.

BBC2 Launch – Saturday 16th February 1991

In an era when Open University programming dominated BBC2’s schedule until mid-afternoon, anticipation ran high for the channel’s new look. BBC1 had already debuted its updated globe logo prior to shows like “Going Live” and “Grandstand,” adding to the suspense. The first glimpse of BBC2’s rebranding came at 6:50 a.m. with the unveiling of a new Open University symbol, bidding farewell to the time-honoured animation and its accompanying fanfare. The wait finally ended at 2:45pm when a programming menu surfaced, shortly followed by the premiere of the “Paint” ident. From that moment, both BBC2 and the landscape of television branding were irrevocably altered – although someone did forget to activate the new BBC logo generator!

Conceived by Martin Lambie-Nairn and Daniel Barber, BBC2’s rebrand featured nine animated idents built around a stylised, bladed numeral “2.” These idents employed a verdian colour scheme and were designed with the flexibility to evolve over time. While both BBC1 and BBC2 opted for designs that may seem deceptively simple – BBC2 with its bladed “2” and BBC1 with its classical numeral “1” – Lambie-Nairn described the approach as “almost anti-graphic design,” emphasising the restrained elegance of their new identities.

BBC2 Clean Idents

BBC2 Continuity

Additional idents were integrated into BBC2’s branding portfolio, extending the range and dynamism of its on-air continuity until 1997.

BBC2 Continuity

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

Date unknown

Views: 1112

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Closedown

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

1991

Views: 829

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Closedown

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

1991

Views: 712

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Closedown

New, it's not

Quality: ST

1991

Views: 637

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Clock

New, it's not

Quality: ST

1991

Views: 430

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Clock

New, it's not

Quality: ST

1991

Views: 423

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Continuity

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

17th February 1991

Views: 632

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Continuity

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

26th February 1991

Views: 562

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Continuity

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

26th February 1991

Views: 674

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Continuity

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

29th March 1991

Views: 550

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Continuity

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

8th April 1991

Views: 621

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Continuity

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

11th June 1991

Views: 675

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Continuity

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

20th August 1991

Views: 637

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Closedown

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

21st September 1991

Views: 698

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Continuity

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

1st December 1991

Views: 658

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Continuity

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

1st January 1992

Views: 686

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Continuity

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

14th November 1992

Views: 1101

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Continuity

New, it's not

Quality: ST

1st December 1992

Views: 1037

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Continuity

New, it's not

Quality: ST

1st December 1992

Views: 656

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Closedown

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

1993

Views: 609

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Closedown

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

6th January 1993

Views: 407

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Continuity

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

17th March 1993

Views: 854

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Closedown

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

15th May 1993

Views: 654

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Closedown

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

13th June 1993

Views: 318

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Closedown

New, it's not

Quality: ST

13th December 1993

Views: 1339

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Closedown

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

2nd January 1994

Views: 818

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Continuity

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

19th January 1994

Views: 599

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Continuity

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

21st January 1994

Views: 729

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Closedown

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

12th February 1994

Views: 452

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Closedown

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

5th April 1994

Views: 714

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Continuity

New, it's not

Quality: ST

26th August 1994

Views: 1167

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Continuity

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

7th December 1994

Views: 2013

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Continuity

New, it's not

Quality: ST

17th December 1994

Views: 1655

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Continuity

New, it's not

Quality: ST

17th December 1994

Views: 567

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Continuity

New, it's not

Quality: ST

17th December 1994

Views: 595

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Continuity

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

17th December 1994

Views: 1250

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Closedown

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

29th January 1995

Views: 776

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Closedown

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

15th April 1995

Views: 919

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Continuity

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

29th May 1995

Views: 130

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Continuity

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

29th May 1995

Views: 127

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Continuity

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

6th June 1995

Views: 4269

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Continuity

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

12th July 1995

Views: 965

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Continuity

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

27th October 1995

Views: 695

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Closedown

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

6th January 1996

Views: 920

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Continuity

New, it's not

Quality: ST

8th June 1996

Views: 645

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Continuity

New, it's not

Quality: ST

9th June 1996

Views: 714

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Continuity

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

2nd October 1996

Views: 817

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Continuity

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

14th October 1996

Views: 604

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Continuity

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

14th October 1996

Views: 681

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Continuity

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

14th October 1996

Views: 661

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Continuity

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

14th October 1996

Views: 656

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Continuity

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

1st January 1997

Views: 852

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Breakdown

New, it's not

Quality: ST

1997

Views: 786

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Closedown

New, it's not

Quality: ST

1997

Views: 1041

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Continuity

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

10th May 1997

Views: 210

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Closedown

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

10th May 1997

Views: 916

Format: 4:3

On occasion, there were oversights where the BBC logo superimposed overlay was inadvertently omitted from the live playout.

BBC2 Special Idents

BBC2 Ghost Ident

New, it's not

Quality: ST

21st December 1991

Views: 506

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Puzzle Ident

New, it's not

Quality: ST

21st December 1991

Views: 440

Format: 4:3

Screen 2 titles

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

24th January 1993

Views: 196

Format: 4:3

Cops On The Box

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

30th May 1993

Views: 449

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Weird Night

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

17th December 1994

Views: 603

Format: 4:3

DEF II Idents & Continuity

DEF II Ident

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

Date unknown

Views: 286

Format: 4:3

DEF II Ident

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

1991

Views: 748

Format: 4:3

DEF II Ident

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

1991

Views: 191

Format: 4:3

DEF II Ident

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

1992

Views: 415

Format: 4:3

DEF II ending

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

1st December 1993

Views: 80

Format: 4:3

DEF II opening

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

1994

Views: 329

Format: 4:3

DEF II Ident

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

1994

Views: 146

Format: 4:3

DEF II Ident

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

1994

Views: 180

Format: 4:3

DEF II Ident

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

1994

Views: 132

Format: 4:3

DEF II Ident

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

1994

Views: 127

Format: 4:3

DEF II Close

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

1994

Views: 179

Format: 4:3

DEF II Close

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

1994

Views: 214

Format: 4:3

DEF II Close

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

1994

Views: 168

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Programme Promotions

BBC2 Comedy promo

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

22nd February 1991

Views: 257

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Friday

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

23rd May 1991

Views: 225

Format: 4:3

Bottom promo

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

27th September 1991

Views: 151

Format: 4:3

Gala From The Met

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

25th December 1991

Views: 194

Format: 4:3

Radio Days promo

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

31st December 1991

Views: 133

Format: 4:3

BBC2 promo

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

1st January 1992

Views: 142

Format: 4:3

Bird promo

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

3rd January 1992

Views: 42

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Friday

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

10th January 1992

Views: 457

Format: 4:3

Underbelly promo

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

10th February 1992

Views: 62

Format: 4:3

Yo Picasso promo

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

10th February 1992

Views: 375

Format: 4:3

BBC2 promo

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

10th April 1992

Views: 210

Format: 4:3

Decision 92 promo

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

29th October 1992

Views: 91

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Menu

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

18th December 1992

Views: 278

Format: 4:3

Rear Window promo

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

25th December 1992

Views: 84

Format: 4:3

Crumb promo

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

24th December 1996

Views: 86

Format: 4:3

Historically, BBC2 has been the pioneering platform for experimenting with innovative presentation techniques. Breaking from its custom of seasonally updated aesthetics, the channel chose a different route in 1992. It introduced a collection of brief stings featuring the iconic numeral “2,” starting with one that even showcased a rather enviable hairstyle! This curated selection of diverse stings remained in rotation from 1992 through to 1997.

Athletics promo

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

Date unknown

Views: 213

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Friday promo

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

19th November 1992

Views: 328

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Coming Soon

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

30th December 1992

Views: 277

Format: 4:3

Nature promo

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

5th July 1993

Views: 79

Format: 4:3

Wednesday promo

New, it's not

Quality: ST

5th October 1993

Views: 237

Format: 4:3

Friday promo

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

1994

Views: 235

Format: 4:3

Middlemarch promo

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

5th January 1994

Views: 66

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Friday promo

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

28th January 1994

Views: 306

Format: 4:3

Friday promo

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

4th February 1994

Views: 547

Format: 4:3

The Outer Limits

New, it's not

Quality: ST

3rd April 1995

Views: 156

Format: 4:3

Hail Caesar!

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

17th November 1995

Views: 164

Format: 4:3

Boxing Day promo

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

26th December 1995

Views: 326

Format: 4:3

Wednesday promo

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

9th June 1996

Views: 271

Format: 4:3

The Works

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

10th May 1997

Views: 125

Format: 4:3

This Life promo

New, it's not

Quality: ST

6th August 1997

Views: 295

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Holding Slides 1991 – 1992

For the first time in their histories, BBC1 and BBC2 unveiled a unified design language for their programme slides during their simultaneous rebranding on February 16, 1991. Each caption featured a sidebar on the left, which showcased one of BBC2’s newly minted idents.

World Darts slide

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

3rd January 1992

Views: 131

Format: 4:3

Marlene slide

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

25th May 1992

Views: 69

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Holding Slides 1992 – 1997

As BBC Two expanded its collection of idents, the slide design underwent a modification. The ident backgrounds that once adorned the left-hand sidebar were removed, giving way to a minimalist black palette. This clean space allowed for the main image – or elements of it – to seamlessly extend into the sidebar, creating a more dynamic visual experience.

Rear Window slide

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

25th December 1992

Views: 78

Format: 4:3

Video Nation

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

1993

Views: 129

Format: 4:3

Golf slide

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

8th July 1993

Views: 95

Format: 4:3

Copacabana slide

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

10th December 1993

Views: 71

Format: 4:3

Timewatch

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

9th February 1994

Views: 117

Format: 4:3

Horizon slide

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

20th November 1995

Views: 71

Format: 4:3

The X Files slide

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

11th December 1995

Views: 123

Format: 4:3

Dark Secret slide

New, it's new

Quality: ST

5th September 1996

Views: 42

Format: 4:3

Westminster slide

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

24th November 1996

Views: 173

Format: 4:3

Ruby

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

19th May 1997

Views: 100

Format: 4:3

BBC2 Miscellaneous Items