BBC Two 'Curve' idents

The BBC Two 'Curve' idents have been broadcast since 27 September 2018 on BBC Two in the United Kingdom. The identity was co-developed by BBC Creative and branding agency Superunion, and consists of various animations based around a curve motif resembling a '2' in the centre.[1] The initial set of idents consists of sixteen sequences, created by various animators from around the world, including Aardman Animations, The Mill, and Buck. Some aspects of the idents feel like modern, spiritual successors to their 90s counterparts.[2]

The first ident Feel Good features the curve "2" made of blobs, and is the first ident to use the boxless logo since 2001.

Idents

Regular

Title	Air date	Description
Feel Good	27 September 2018 – present	A bunch of multicoloured blobs float around the screen, and then stick together forming the 2 curve and resembling sounds of squeaks. This was the first ident of the new look to be used at 6:00am on 27 September 2018. This ident is mainly used to introduce a wide variety of programmes.
Captivating	27 September 2018 – present	Various paper ribbons move about on screen to form the 2 curve. Often used to introduce a wide variety of programmes.
Escapist	27 September 2018 – present	Rippling purple and orange looking like canyon walls make 2 curve, possibly inspired by Silk from the 1991 set. Often used to introduce a wide variety of programmes.
Authoritative	27 September 2018 – present	Authoritative is the most generic used of the set. Piles of paper wave around forming the 2 curve, possibly inspired by Paper Cut-Out from the 1991 set. Stills of this ident were used for slides, such as breakdown slides and slides containing information for the BBC Action Line. Used to introduce serious programming and the BBC News.
Reflective	27 September 2018 – present	Sheets of paper turn over between the curve 2, inspired by Diary from the 1991 set. This is the second generic ident of the set. Primarily used for serious programming and the BBC News.
Mind-Bending	27 September 2018 – present	White and grey lines overlapping and forming the 2 curve, possibly inspired by Optics from the 1991 set. The ding sound is the same as Authoritative. This is the third generic ident of the set. Used for serious programming and the BBC News.
Wonder	27 September 2018 – present	Green and blue seabed/sea surface split in half by the 2 curve, inspired by Water (or Water Reflection) from the 1991 set. Often used to introduce natural history programmes.
Celebratory	27 September 2018 – present	A multicoloured firework theme makes up the sides of the 2 curve, inspired by Firecracker from the 1991 set. Often used for entertainment, sport and music programming.
Revelatory	27 September 2018 – present	A ribbon made of metal (resembling a slinky) moves about on screen to form the 2 curve, possibly inspired by the 1993 Slinky sting from the 1991 set. Often used to introduce a wide array of programmes, along with BBC News.
Offbeat	27 September 2018 – present	An orange fluffy creature moves about the screen and stops forming the 2 curve, inspired by Dog from the 1991 set. Primarily used to introduce a wide array of programmes.
Thought-Provoking	28 September 2018 – present	Black and white patterns dance around in the 2 curve, inspired by the 1993 Op Art sting from the 1991 set. The initial version of Thought-Provoking appears to have been withdrawn along with Visceral in early October 2018. However, a revised version with the black background lightened and the white areas dimmed to an off-white/pale grey, was introduced on BBC Two Northern Ireland in late November (later on the network from 13 January 2019[3]). It is a rare ident, though it mainly appears before factual and quiz programmes.
Visceral	29 September 2018 – present	Brown, black and gold pins and scales open and close forming the 2 curve. Used to introduce drama, films and factual programming. The initial version of Visceral appears to have been withdrawn along with Thought-Provoking in early October 2018. However, a revised version with reduced colour saturation was introduced at 2:40am on 4 November.
Dark	30 September 2018 – present	Set entirely in shades of grey, the 2 curve animates like coral reef. Occasionally used, though it is mostly shown before drama and serious programming.
Gritty	6 October 2018 – present	Rising and falling blocks in the shape of the 2 curve. Often used for drama and factual programming.
Bold	10 October 2018 – present	A broken up black and gold stone effect (resembling a causeway) makes up the 2 curve, possibly inspired by the 2002 Giant's Causeway ident (which aired on BBC Two Northern Ireland) from the 2001 "Personality" set. Occasionally shown before drama and factual programmes.
Charged	13 October 2018 – present	Clouds billowing around, and the 2 curve is formed by light shining through a crack in the clouds. Used for a variety of programmes, including drama and documentary programmes.
Sharp	21 October 2018 – present (promos) 27 October 2018 – present (ident)	Several coloured threads ripping it apart separately in the shape of the 2 curve. Mostly used to introduce a variety of programmes, including quiz, entertainment and comedy.
Silly	3 November 2018 – present	Blobs of slime (with googly eyes) shaped like the 2 curve move around the screen, possibly inspired by the 2002 "Bugs" era of CBBC. Used for CBBC programmes shown on the channel on Saturdays, as well as comedy, entertainment, and light factual programmes.
Gripping	8 November 2018 – present	Dark blue-coloured fabric is seen wringing itself into the shape of the 2 curve and back. Rarely used for films and drama, factual, and serious programming.
Absorbing	28 November 2018 – present	Multicoloured liquid patterns slowly move across the screen, forming the 2 curve, possibly inspired by Paint from the 1991 set. Used to introduce a variety of programmes, including food-based and light factual programmes.
Sparky	22 April 2019 – present	A swarm of multicoloured plastic mini balls moving around the screen into the shape of the 2 curve in middle of white and back. Often used to introduce sports, entertainment and light factual programmes.
Discovery	28 May 2019 – present	A planet sized earth map in the middle of the 2 curve in blue spins around, and stops to reveal the pale red areas of the earth in the middle of the same curve in red, possibly inspired by the 1997 Mars Weekend ident from the 1991 set. Used to introduce documentary, factual, natural history and space-based programmes.
Intense	15 June 2019 – present	The camera zooming through colour rings, before they form up the 2 curve and resembling the sound of the crowd with a football being kicked about (or a tennis ball being squashed by the racket), inspired by the 1988, 1996 and 1997 BBC Sport idents. The ding sound is the same as Celebratory. Used to introduce light entertainment, sports and quiz-based programmes.
Maverick	16 June 2019 – present	A small white ball moves around the screen, with various objects and shapes popping up and disappearing to form the 2 curve. The ding sound is the same as Feel Good. First shown as promos on 26 May, airing as an ident on both the network, Northern Ireland and Wales from 16 June. Was seen before entertainment and comedy programming.
Illuminating	20 June 2019 – present	A light scans around the 2 curve in a multicoloured background, with the shapes are changing while it scans, possibly inspired by both the 1994 Corridor sting from the 1991 set and Invisible Walls from the 2001 "Personality" set. The ding sound is the same as Charged. This is possibly the fourth generic ident of the set. Used to introduce a variety of programmes.
Punchy	5 October 2019 – present	Blue and red glass stripes moving all around before they crashed together and forming the 2 curve, inspired by both the 1974 Striped 2 ident and Neon from the 1991 set. Used to introduce a variety of programmes.
Thought-Provoking 2	23 November 2019 – present	Wooden blocks, furnitures, metallics, walls, glass and stones moving around to form the 2 curve. The ding sound is the same as the first installment of Thought-Provoking. This ident serves as the second installment of Thought-Provoking. Often used to introduce documentary and factual programming.

Special

Christmas Idents

Title	Air date	Description
Magical	1 – 31 December 2018 1 – 31 December 2019	A snow-covered fir tree with branches forming the 2 curve shakes off some of the snow, possibly inspired by the 1992 Christmas ident from the 1991 set.
Glorious	1 – 31 December 2018 1 – 31 December 2019	Also known as Glamourous. A brightly-coloured aurora shines in a dark, starry sky, weaving into the 2 curve shape at points.
Cosy	7 – 31 December 2018 1 – 31 December 2019	Also known as Comforting. A domestic cat flicks a bauble around on a carpeted floor - only its tail is seen, occasionally settling into the shape of the 2 curve, and purring sounds can be heard. First shown on BBC Two Wales, airing on the network afterwards from 8 December.
Festive	1 – 31 December 2019	Various tinsel garlands are flying around the screen into the shape of the 2 curve in middle of purple tinsel and back.

See also

• History of BBC television idents

References

1. "BBC Two to get first full rebrand since early 90s". The Guardian. 25 September 2018. Retrieved 27 September 2018.
2. "BBC Two rebrands for first time in 20 years". Design Week. 25 September 2018. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
3. First airing of the modified Thought-Provoking ident

External links

Preceded by 1991–2001 '2's (second run)	BBC television idents 27 September 2018 – present	Succeeded by Present