BBC Scotland

Prior to the launch of the dedicated channel in 2019, BBC Scotland programmes were distributed between both BBC One and BBC Two in the nation. Often with dedicated BBC Scotland branding which was stronger than just the 'add a word' seen in more recent times. In a break from the regular BBC1 Scotland globe of the era here comes this special local 'BBC Scotland' ident aired during the Hogmanay celebrations crossing from 1996 into 1997. You have to hope the reminder not to set your watches by the timeshifted England programming was a joke too... but then you only have to look at how many people complain about that clock being wrong on GMB on ITV+1!

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A static and already formed version of the BBC Scotland ident, used very early into January 1st 1997.

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A short sting using sails on a ship to make up the BBC Scotland logo.

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A trailer promoting a local program on BBC2 in 1997 using the slightly wordier tagline 'BBC Scotland on Two'.

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After playing a short loop of previews and news in the week running up, for the final 3 minutes before the channel launch at 7pm on February 24th, the new BBC Scotland channel switched to a countdown. Using the same bright graphical style which had been devised for the channel's overall presentation.

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Idents for the new BBC Scotland channel consist of a glassy S shape, which changes colour depending upon events in the surrounding scene. Here lights being cast turn the logo blue. First aired shortly after 7pm on launch night.

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Purple butterflies hit the glassy logo, changing it to purple for this BBC Scotland ident, first used into the 7.30 junction on launch night.

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Rain drops falling turn the glassy logo a bright shade of pink for this BBC Scotland ident. First used into the 8.30pm junction on launch night.

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A second version of the Rain ident, this time with the droplets turning the glass logo a bluey-green rather than pink. First aired 3.15pm on February 25th.

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For the fourth BBC Scotland ident, birds fly past the glassy logo turning it a shimmering white colour. First aired at 10.30pm on launch night.

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The ECP style for the channel follows the same house style as others from the BBC just this time in purple, aiding cross promotion on BBC One Scotland.

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Next slides for BBC Scotland make use of bold background colours with the stylised logo for the channel falling into place. A pink version here, aired on launch night, and showing both next and later shows.

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Another next slide for the channel, this time using a purple background colour.

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The promo style for the new BBC Scotland channel once again makes use of a variety of bold colours, alongside textual elements promoting the channel numbers. Seen here promoting Jamie Genevieve #Unfiltered.

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One of the heavily promoted features of the new channel was a flagship Scottish news programme at 9pm known as 'The Nine'. With no programme airing on the first night due to the launch being on a Sunday, a short 90 second look ahead to what to expect from the new show was aired instead, and showing the very different style they would have to the rest of the BBC News output.

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From the 7pm junction on the first weeknight of the new channel, The Seven is essentially a rundown of headlines that will feature on the upcoming 9pm bulletin. Introduced by continuity over a clock which is overlaid augmented-reality style onto the studio.

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The opening to the first ever edition of The Nine, from February 25th 2019. Introduced once again by a countdown clock overlaid onto the studio. What better way to really try and hammer home the fact you're for the people, honest 100% truth there guv'nor, than by including endless photos of people for the opening sequence too?

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A new BBC Scotland ident appeared into the 10pm junction on 16th June. This time coloured powders or smoke hit the BBC Scotland logo.

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Another new ident for BBC Scotland appeared in September 2019, this time featuring fireworks around the Scotland logo.

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October 24th saw another new ident for BBC Scotland. This time around, a shark interacts with an underwater BBC Scotland logo.

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No Christmas idents for BBC Scotland in 2019, however graphics elsewhere saw a festive overhaul. Here the trailer style is updated for the festive season.

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The tweaked festive graphics also make it to the menus and slides on BBC Scotland.

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Although there were no dedicated Christmas idents for BBC Scotland in 2019, the next regular one in their set was launched on 23rd December instead. This time around a squirrel with some slightly clunky movement taps the BBC Scotland logo, before jumping in surprise as it responds with light patterns.

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A special ident from BBC Scotland to welcome in the New Year for 2020. Aired at 12.30 in an extended playout, the regular powder ident is recoloured in Scottish colours, complete with an announcement of what a change the channel has made for 2019.

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In spring 2020, several stings (other names are available) were introduced to BBC Scotland, using the same graphical style as the idents for the channel. Here one based on the rain ident.

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Another BBC Scotland sting, this time based off the birds ident.

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A third sting from BBC Scotland sting, using the butterfly ident as a base this time.

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Another BBC Scotland sting, this time based off the night cobbles ident.

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The 'Family' ident from the BBC is a special ident, reserved for use in very limited occasions where all BBC channels are simulcasting certain news events. Here it appears into the 7.30pm junction on Friday 9th April 2021, as part of coverage of the death of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh earlier that day. Recorded here from BBC Scotland, although it was being broadcast across other BBC channels hence the lack of any channel identifier.

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BBC Scotland saw a small refresh to its presentation on October 20th 2021 to bring in the new BBC blocks style that had been launched across other channels that same day. The channel's main broadcasting wouldn't start until 7pm on that day, however a preview of their updated promo style could be seen in earlier junctions on the main BBC One Scotland channel.

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The updated menu style for BBC Scotland, which first appeared at 7pm on October 20th 2021. Similar to other BBC channels, it features bold, simple colours.

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Like most of the channels after the October 2021 refresh, the idents on BBC Scotland saw little change other than to split the BBC logo up and apply the new blocks to bring it in line with all other channels. The refreshed version of the bird ident for the channel here.

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The coloured powder ident for BBC Scotland, as it appeared after the October 2021 refresh.

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The pink raindrop ident, as it appeared after the BBC brand refresh in 2021.

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BBC Scotland's updated version of the 'Cobbled Street' ident, used from October 20th 2021.

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The refreshed second version of BBC Scotland's ident featuring raindrops, this time turning the main logo clear or light.

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BBC Scotland's purple butterflies ident sees the same refresh in October 2021.

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The squirrel is still poking at the BBC Scotland ident to cause it to change colour in the refreshed version of the ident.

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BBC Scotland's refreshed festival ident took a few days longer after the October 2021 change to make an appearance, but it showed up within the first week of the launch.

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The refreshed version of BBC Scotland's Shark ident, once again featuring all the same animation just with a new BBC logo applied.

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For Christmas 2021, BBC Scotland kept up their tradition of not having Christmas idents, but refreshing other elements of the presentation package. The first Christmas after the BBC blocks refresh saw the only recently replaced trailer style updated with frost and snow effects.

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Similar to other elements of the festive package, the Christmas 2021 sting (or blip) for BBC Scotland was much the same as usual just with the addition of wintery effects.

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For the nationwide minute of silence in memory of Queen Elizabeth II at 8pm on September 18th 2022, all BBC channels joined in. Channels such as BBC Scotland which weren't already running with rolling news coverage played out the generic version of the purple Queen Remembered ident, before cutting to coverage of the silence from the news channel, returning to regular programming afterwards.

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