Page 1 Page 2   
Up to, and including, the early 1980s, there was little to differentiate children's presentation on BBC1 from adult output, save the use of specially designed programme slides and menus (above left). Then from around 1983/84 a series of BBC Micro computer cartoons were used in addition to the BBC1 globe to introduce programmes - these were still voiced by the usual BBC announcers. The term 'Children's BBC' was not used until September 1985, when in-vision continuity with Phillip Schofield was introduced (above middle). The cramped BBC1 continuity booth in which he introduced the afternoon's programmes quickly became known as the 'Broom Cupboard'. For memories of children's continuity during this period, visit The Eighties Zone; and for much more on the golden era visit The Broom Cupboard (external site).  Phillip was succeeded by Andy Crane (above right) in 1987; he in turn was replaced by Andi Peters in 1990, and then Toby Anstis in 1993.
The end of an era came in September 1994 when Children's BBC was forced to move out of the Broom Cupboard and up the corridor into Presentation Studio A. Following Toby Anstis's departure in 1995 a variety of presenters linked the afternoon's children's programmes, including Zoe Ball, Simeon Courtie, Kirsten O'Brien, Chris Jarvis, Ana Boulter, Josie D'Arby, Steve Wilson, Richard McCourt and Dominic Wood. Otis the Aardvark was their furry sidekick. In 1997 Children's BBC moved again, to Studio TC9 (formerly the make-up store), which opens up into the Blue Peter garden.  
Shortly afterwards, in the all-encompassing BBC revamp of October 1997, Children's BBC officially became CBBC (though the abbreviation had been used informally for some years), and a series of simple, but witty, animations were introduced across BBC1 and BBC2, using the appropriate logotype for each channel.  
On 1st December 1999 the CBBC on Choice strand was introduced - the idents were the same, but simply used a 'CBBC' logotype (above left). Above right: the animation used to close the CBBC strand. These idents continued in use without change, but with many additions, for nearly four years. Then in September 2001 CBBC continuity, which up till now had steadfastly remained in 4:3, switched to 16:9. But controversially, the entire CBBC output was now in widescreen, meaning all 4:3 programmes (the vast majority) were now cropped to 14:9 - see Widescreen Education for more details.   
The idents remained from 1997, but were re-cut, speeded up and, of course, converted to 16:9 (above).  
Left: CBBC trailers were identical to the standard BBC format - save for the addition of a 'C' before the logotype - until early 2001, when this style was introduced. Right: all CBBC presentation at this time came from TC9. Most links on BBC1 and BBC2 were live, while CBBC on Choice links were recorded - just as well, since it was on air for thirteen hours a day, seven days a week with the same presenter! Michael Underwood, who won his CBBC presenting contract on Gaby Roslin's BBC1 show Whatever You Want, originally performed this role, before being replaced by Adrian Dickson (above right) who presented CBBC on Choice for over a year from late 2000. The changes of Autumn 2001 turned out to be a short term measure - as on 11th February 2002 CBBC relaunched with a whole new look and the start of two new digital channels...
CBBC: 2002-05 
The daytime outputs of BBC Choice and BBC Knowledge (as was) were scrapped to make way for the channels: CBeebies for pre-school children, and the imaginatively named CBBC channel for 6-13 year olds. Children's presentation on BBC1 in the afternoons and BBC2 in the mornings also took on this new look and used the same branding. The CBBC channel operates each day from 7.00am to 7.00pm, and shares its bandwidth on all digital platforms with BBC3.  
CBBC used green blobby things as its theme. Note the CBBC channel's DOG - the green blob constantly wriggled about.  
Left: continuity for the CBBC channel originally came from TC2, a studio which was the home of BBC programmes over the years such as That Was the Week That Was, Watchdog, Breakfast Time, Newsnight and The RDA. In 2004 it moved to TC9, with CBBC on BBC1 and BBC2 moving from TC9 to TC10. TC2 was still home for the now defunct X-Change and UK Top 40 shows. Right: the CBBC channel even featured the occasional weather forecast... New recruits to CBBC's presenting roster included Michael 'Abs' Absalom and Ortis Deley (above right), Jake Humphrey, Barney Harwood, Andrew Hayden-Smith and Sophie McDonnell (who competed in Eurovision 1999 as part of the band Precious). Meanwhile Richard McCourt and Dominic Wood returned to present in the CBBC studio until they landed their own show in August 2002, Dick and Dom in da Bungalow.  
Left: an example of the trailer style around launch time (incidentally, one of the participants in Stitch Up, Anne Foy, later became one of CBBC's continuity presenters). CBBC on BBC1 and BBC2 also used this design, albeit with a red rather than blue theme. Right: a trailer from 2004, with the addition of the CBBC logo in the bottom right hand corner throughout the trailer, as with the adult BBC channels. However this did not become universal practice on CBBC. 
A CBBC Channel menu which, unusually, on this occasion doesn't include episodes of Chucklevision or The Story of Tracy Beaker. During term time CBBC used to include a segment of schools programming, known as Class TV. For details, see our BBC Schools page.
CBBC: 2005-07  
The blob theme was revised on 1st October 2005, with a more 3D-type blob whizzing round the screen. There was also a massive new DOG, where the blob gently rocked back and forth.  
One of the idents as seen on BBC1.  
Left: the trailer endboard. Right: the CBBC channel set.  
Right: 'coming next' screens from BBC1 and the CBBC channel. 
At the start of December 2006 it was goodbye to the traditional studio set, along with some of the presenters, as CBBC presentation on both the dedicated channel and on BBC1 and BBC2 moved to Studio TC12 and a much smaller 'virtual' set with a fixed camera which, whether it was or not, sadly looked very much like a case of cost cutting. Most links were now presented by either Gemma Hunt (above) or Anne Foy.
On the next page, the latest style of CBBC presentation, plus a brief look at the BBC's most popular digital-only channel - CBeebies. Page 1 Page 2 | 
