BBC2 'TWO' ident

[Robert Williams]

Was reminded by On This Day in TV History that the 'TWO' symbol launched 35 years ago today.

This is apparently the first showing of the 'TWO 'presentation, if not the ident itself:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXFGw7FY49w

I had not seen this clip before, so it's interesting to see that the new look appears to have actually launched at closedown, in the early hours of 31st March, which I never realised.

For comparison, this is the old symbol still in use at teatime on the 30th:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUJoSxD5dqw

Unlike the launch of the new BBC1 globe the previous year, I had no pre-warning of the new look, although I had been half-expecting a change to come sooner or later, so I've no idea how long it was before I actually saw the new ident.

However I do remember seeing it for the first time, and being taken quite aback by it - the word 'TWO' instead of a number? And a white background? What were they thinking? At first I thought it looked awful, but eventually grew to like it - to the extent that after a week of the new 2s in 1991, I wanted the old one back!

[Steve in Pudsey]

I was never a big fan of the stripey look. It worked better on 2 than 1 but seemed to be a downgrade on what it replaced in both cases.

The TWO was certainly a bold move. The ident itself seems quite boring, but in many respects it was a reimagining of the stripey 2, it animated in much the same way. And a minimalist, kind of classy look probably reflects what BBC 2 was trying to sell itself as at the time.

[LukeHarrison]

This is apparently the first showing of the 'TWO 'presentation, if not the ident itself:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXFGw7FY49w



For comparison, this is the old symbol still in use at teatime on the 30th:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUJoSxD5dqw

I think these two videos together show just how fresh and modern the TWO must’ve looked at the time. The entire package gets a bad wrap because of how great the 1991 identity was, but actually compared to the stripy 2, the TWO looked clean, elegant, and gave the channel the image it’s still trying to live up to today (to a certain extent). Artsy, contemporary and a bit challenging.

[DE88]

Just about on topic, here's the final closedown with the twin-stripe 2:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaWN6-ZGQBM

And from the other side of the Irish Sea two-and-a-half years later, the relaunch of RTÉ's second channel as Network 2. I'd be very, *very* surprised if it turned out that the ident didn't take any inspiration from the "TWO" (same colours, same bare acknowledgement of the third dimension):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1LdGZJZBmM

[roll_vt]

When the "TWO" branding launched, the nations hadn't received their new clock kits, so the existing hardware was altered as an interim stopgap.

The Scotland, Wales & NI versions all used different colour palettes and BBC NI actually used 2 different versions. It was rare to see these regional TWO clocks on air, but here are my recreations - the Wales & NI ones are based on clips I've seen & are accurate. The BBC Scotland one is based on a description I was given..

https://youtu.be/4ZJoWA-dsQE

https://youtu.be/0C-y3jXi1zc

https://youtu.be/nI3iIsmID3o

https://youtu.be/CWO2sp98rao