Tuesday, April 20, 2004
BBC2@40
We love to revel in a good live TV fiasco. Sam Fox and Mick Fleetwood at the Brits. Judy Finnegan's gaping bra. Julian Clary's fisticuffs with Norman Lamont. Wobbling cardboard walls at the Crossroads motel. And, 40 years ago tonight, the launch of BBC2. Only the BBC could attempt to launch a brand new TV channel in the midst of a London-wide power cut, although kicking off with Play School the following morning gathered far more publicity and greater long-term credibility. I could relate the full story of BBC2's birth here, but other people have done it already. So here's BBC2 in links instead:
• What should have happened... What actually happened...
• BBC2 Launch night - the rediscovered videotape
• A new channel is born
• Flick throught the Radio Times from BBC2 launch week
• Hullabaloo and Custard - BBC2 launch mascots
• Opening night line-ups for various TV channels
• BBC2 at 40, including Forty from Two and Ten into Two
• Forty BBC2 landmarks
• BBC2 - a brief history
• BBC2 - a choice of viewing
• Celebrate 40 years of BBC2 at the National Film Theatre (including Play School reunion)
• Happy Birthday BBC2 (tonight, BBC2 8pm)
• Probably the best logos in the history of the world ever
• 40 years of BBC2 logos
• BBC2 logos through the years
• All those gorgeous BBC2 logos
• Stick a BBC2 logo on your desktop
• Lots of lovely BBC logos
