BBC One 'Rhythm & Movement' idents

BBC 'Rhythm & Movement' idents were a set of on-screen channel identities designed by Lambie-Nairn and used on BBC One from 29 March, 2002 until 7 October, 2006. They replaced the earlier balloon idents, and spelled the end of the much recognised globe identity by the BBC, which had been used in various ways since 1963. All of the idents under this theme had a common focus: people in various forms of movement and music with a somewhat upbeat rhythm. Red was also used as the predominant colour in all of the idents.The music for all idents was written by Peter Lawlor of Water Music Productions in London. He was also responsible for, amongst other things, the UK number one song "Inside" performed by the group Stiltskin, and is generally considered to be one of the UK's leading composers.The idents aired for the final time on 7 October 2006, at 1.10am. A montage of idents aired together, ending with the rarely seen 'Ballet' ident.

List of idents

Christmas

Between 2002 and 2005, three different idents were produced for the Christmas period, each one of them featuring children.

It should also be noted that in 2003, the BBC showed the 2002 ident again - the first time that a Christmas ident has been re-used in its history. BBC Two also followed suit the same year, although rather than re-using an ident, they were used alongside that year's newer one. In 2004, no new ident was produced for BBC Two, instead staying with the previous three years', and all of these were dropped for a new ident in 2005.

Parodies

The idents were very quickly parodied by digital channel E4 in 2002 with spoofs of the Capoeira, Ballet and Acrobat idents.cite web|url=http://www2.tv-ark.org.uk/bbc1national/bbc1spoof.html|title=BBC1 Spoof idents|accessdate=2008-10-09 |format=|work=TV Ark]

Comedians French & Saunders also created spoof idents for their 2002 Christmas special in which, dressed as old women, they first copied the Acrobat ident yet came loose from their ribbons and fell to the ground while in a spoof of Hip-Hop, the pair drove around slowly in mobility scooters.

Comedian Peter Kay also made spoof editions of the Hip-Hop ident in 2003 in the guise of his "Phoenix Nights" character Brian Potter. The second version was shown minus the BBC One logo in 2005.. This ident was used to inroduce the Comic Relief of 2003

A further spoof featured Jon Culshaw as Tony Blair dancing in a fictional ident outside 10 Downing Street. This was shown on a July 2003 episode of "Dead Ringers", broadcast on BBC Two.

Spoofs have also cropped up in BBC Three's animated adult comedy series "Monkey Dust", making use of the generic red theme of the normal idents to show "idents" such as a gangland killing and the resulting aftermath.

Replacement

In August 2005, BBC One controller Peter Fincham had hinted that the dancers may be on their way out. He told the Edinburgh International Television Festival that "It may well be that the time is coming to look at a new way of doing it. No date or direct decision has been made but it's under review".

According to the "Media Guardian", Fincham then confirmed that in autumn 2006, the 'Rhythm and Movement' idents would be replaced with a new presentation package, along with a new schedule. As speculated, Red Bee Media would create the new presentation package. Red Bee created the new idents for the ITV channels that were introduced in January 2006.

On September 26, the BBC confirmed that from October 7, 2006, the 'Rhythm and Movement' idents would be replaced by a new Circle ident collection, including the Moon, surfers and hippopotamuses.

The new idents made their debut on October 7, 2006 at 10am BST, marking the end of the 'Rhythm and Movement' idents, which had defined the channel for four and a half years.

ee also

*BBC television idents

References

* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2002/03_march/26/bbconeident.shtml BBC One ident page] at bbc.co.uk

External links

* [http://www2.tv-ark.org.uk/bbc1national/bbc1national2002.html BBC One 'Rhythm & Movement' idents at TV Ark]
* [http://idents.tv/blog/?p=505 Video of BBC One 'Rhythm & Movement' collection at idents.tv] (includes parodies and farewell)
* [http://www.thetvroom.com/ The TV Room]