BBC Children's and Education

Current CBBC Logo

CBBC (Children's BBC) is the brand-name for the BBC's children's television programmes aimed at children aged between 6 and 13 years old. The Children's BBC name as a dedicated programming strand began on 9 September 1985, with the CBBC name used informally since 1990. This became official with a relaunch of the BBC's branding in 1997.

CBBC programmes are shown on BBC One, BBC Two and the CBBC Channel. CBBC has a sister brand, CBeebies, for children under 6. The CBBC brand for BBC One and BBC Two are known as CBBC One on BBC One and CBBC Two on BBC Two.

CBBC comes under the control of the BBC Children's department, who are responsible for creating programming for children up to the age of 16. It is based in the East Tower of the BBC Television Centre, with some programmes coming from Scotland and Bristol.

Since February 2006, the Controller of BBC Children's has been Richard Deverell, with Anne Gilchrist as Creative Director of CBBC and Michael Carrington as Creative Director of CBeebies.

The department splits output into age groups, with CBeebies for ages up to 6, the CBBC brand for ages 6 to 12, and BBC Switch, for ages 12 to 16.

Programming

Main article: List of BBC children's television programmes

CBBC produces a whole range of programme types, including drama, news, entertainment, educational programmes and what is known as 'contemporary factual'.

Presentation

From launch until 1994, links between programmes were usually broadcast from the NC1 (BBC1) continuity suite, dubbed The Broom Cupboard. It was kitted out with a set and was fully operational, with the presenter actually operating the vision mixing and audio consoles. By 1994, the operation was expanded; Presentation Studio A was used until 1997, before moving to the purpose-built studio TC9, near the Blue Peter garden at BBC Television Centre. During a brief period of expansion in studio facilities in 2005, links for BBC One and BBC Two utilised studio TC10 (on the sixth floor of TV Centre, and originally news studio N1), whilst 'The Channel' became the sole occupant of TC9. The last live continuity links from TC9 were broadcast on BBC One on Friday 1 December 2006, presented for the final time by Angellica Bell and Simon Grant, who left CBBC without being replaced, leading to a reduction in the number of studio presenters. Between Monday 4 December 2006 and Thursday 6 March 2008, all CBBC Presentation output on BBC One, BBC Two and the CBBC Channel was produced from studio TC12. This has since been replaced by a new facility in the East Tower of Television Centre.

CBBC relaunched for the fifth time on September 3 2007. The previous CSO computer generated backgrounds that were used from December 2006, were replaced by a real set. Its design is a reflection of CBBC's roots, with a similar set up to the original Broom Cupboard.

Presenter Format and Continuity Links

2006-2007

From 2006 CBBC saw the age the of computer generated backgrounds. During this period the presenters were Gemma Hunt and Anne Foy. In December 2006 with only two presenters CBBC enlisted the help of Level Up's Ayesha Asantwaa. The three presenters shared the duty up until the Christmas holiday where Ayesha did weekends, Gemma did mornings and afternoons on the CBBC Channel and Anne did afternoons on CBBC One. Half way through the festive period Ayesha left for other commitments leaving Gemma & Anne to share everything between them. The duo continued presenting together in this format until February 2007. During "Ha Ha-lf term" The Governor (Ted Robbins) from The Slammer, presented occasional weekday mornings on CBBC Channel when Anne was busy. After the half term they swapped so Gemma presented the Channel and Anne presented BBC One. Finally in Summer 2007 it was the end of the computer graphics with the Summer presented again by Anne, Gemma and Ted. The final link with the computer generated backgrounds was presented on 2 September 2007 by Gemma Hunt.

2007-Present

3 September 2007 saw the fifth CBBC relaunch. As part of the relaunch, new logos, idents, interactive services, studios, programmes and presenters were introduced.

Ed Petrie became the chief continuity presenter, accompanied by puppet sidekick Oucho T. Cactus (operated and voiced by Warrick Brownlow-Pike). The duo currently present live, weekday afternoon links on the CBBC channel with Petrie voicing pre-recorded, out-of-vision announcments during the weekday strand on BBC One.

Anne Foy presented pre-recorded in-vision links at the weekend alongside her dog, Elliot, until her departure in March 2008. Foy was replaced by two new presenters, Ben Hanson and Ciaran Joyce. The duo regularly present in-vision links at the weekend and stand in for Ed and Oucho. From June 2008 they started presented the Mornings on the CBBC Channel and they will be presenting the Mornings during and all through the Summer until the 29th of August 2008. They started presenting the Mornings from the beginning of June 2008 because some School's finished at the beginning of June 2008 and are off for Six Weeks and other School's, nearly most School's, finish towards the end of July 2008 and are off for Six Weeks, which means they will go back at the beginning of September 2008 and they will finish presenting the Mornings then.

While Ben and Ciaran present the Mornings they will not present the Weekends anymore and Holly Walsh will be presenting the Weekends and this will be until September 2008 but after the Summer Holidays have finished and they stop presenting the Mornings they will start presenting the Weekends again. They will start presenting the Weekends again from the beginning of September 2008.

Holly Walsh is a regular relief presenter, presenting weekend and half term morning links as a stand-in for Petrie, Hanson and Joyce.

Guest continuity presenters have been used on a number of occasions, including Ted Robbins, Lee Barnett, Barney Harwood and Nev (operated and voiced by Ross Mullan).

Former presenters

Notable former presenters have included Phillip Schofield, Andy Crane, Andi Peters, Philippa Forrester, Zoë Ball, Toby Anstis, Chris Jarvis, Kirsten O'Brien, Angellica Bell, Andrew Hayden-Smith and Gemma Hunt.

Table of presenters

	Name	Started	Ended	Tenure
1.	Angellica Bell	May 2000	1 December 2006	6 years 7 months
2.	Adrian Dickson	September 2001	September 2004	3 years
3.	Gemma Hunt	February 2002	2 September 2007	5 years 8 months
4.	Michael Absalom	February 2002	March 2006	4 years 1 month
5.	Barney Harwood	February 2002	25 October 2007	5 years 9 months
6.	Jake Humphrey	February 2002	26 October 2007	5 years 9 months
7.	Sophie McDonnell	February 2002	19 December 2005	3 years 10 months
8.	Simon Grant	February 2002	1 December 2006	4 years 10 months
9.	Mohini Sule	February 2002	March 2006	4 years 1 month
10.	Rani Khanijau	February 2002	December 2005	3 years 10 months
11.	Andrew Hayden Smith	February 2003	7 July 2006	3 years 4 months
12.	Anne Foy	August 2003	18 March 2008	4 years 8 months
13.	Matt Edmonson	16 December 2004	1 December 2006	2 years
14.	Dani Harmer	July 2006	October 2006	3 months
15.	Devon Anderson	August 2006	September 2006	1 month
16.	Ed Petrie	3 September 2007	present	11 months
17.	Oucho the Cactus	3 September 2007	present	11 months
18.	Ben Hanson	23 March 2008	present	5 months
19.	Ciaran Joyce	23 March 2008	present	5 months
20.	Holly Walsh	5 July 2008	present	1 month
21.	Juan	5 July 2008	present	1 month

Guest/Relief Continuity presenters

• Adam Fleming (February 2006)
• Ayesha Asantwaa (December 2006)
• Rani Price (April 2007)
• Ted Robbins (Summer 2007, October 2007)
• Lee Barnett (October 2007)
• Ross Lee (December 2007 - January 2008)
• Holly Walsh (11th-22nd February 2008, 23rd May 2008, 6th June 2008, 30th June & 2nd July 2008)
• Johny Pitts (21st July 2008-1st August 2008)

Logos

These logos show how the visual style of CBBC has developed over the course of its life:

1985-1991	1991-1997	1997-2002
	File:CBBCLogo1992.png	File:CBBCLogo1997.png
2002-2005	2005-2007	2007- present
File:CBBCLogo2002.png	File:CBBCLogo2005.png

Other services

CBBC extra

CBBC extra is a free interactive television service from CBBC provided by BBCi. It is accessible from the CBBC Channel by pressing red and then selecting CBBC extra. It can also be accessed from any other BBC channel by pressing red and going to page number 570. The service differs across digital platforms, for example DSAT (i.e: Sky) viewers can access a video loop. Its availability on DTT (Freeview) is dependent upon BBCi not showing other interactive services, such as major sports events coverage.

CBBC extra offers 'Nev's Horoscopes', games, the UK Top 40, jokes sent in by viewers and a weekly competition.

Former presenters of CBBC Extra include Matt Edmonson, Rani Price, Sophie McDonnell, Mohini Sule and Anne Foy. The current presenter is Ed Petrie.

CBBC Quiz

This new feature allows the viewers to play a quiz. Viewers can also send in their question which could be shown to the nation. There are 5 levels, each containing 5 questions. CBBC Quiz can be found by pressing the red button on a BBC television channel and keying in page 570. Viewers then arrive at CBBC Extra and can then select the option that reads CBBC Quiz. Alternatively, viewers can tune in to the CBBC Channel, press the red button and select CBBC Quiz from the main menu.

Website

The CBBC website provides a wide range of activities for viewers, such as games, puzzles, message boards and frequently updated news feeds.

My CBBC

My CBBC is a feature to the new CBBC website. It allows the user to create their own "den" or room in which the can furnish. It is also possible to create your own avatar. The new feature is heavily promoted on the CBBC Channel.

Adventure Rock

Main article: Adventure Rock

Screenshot from Public Beta Testing of Adventure Rock

Adventure Rock (previously named CBBC World) is a virtual online world that launched on 1 March 2008. Press releases have stated "it would allow digitally literate children the access to characters and resources they had come to expect. Users would be able to build an online presence, known as an avatar, then create and share content."

The emphasis on the system is on safety and responsibility, with no chatrooms or the financial aspects available in other online worlds such as Second Life.

Controller of Children's BBC Richard Deverell said:" Adventure Rock is a good example of the way we need to go. The thing that interests me is that children are at the vanguard. And that is where we are taking Children's BBC."

External links

• CBBC at BBC Online
• CBBC - A new look at BBC Online
• "And Now, For Younger Viewers..." A history of CBBC continuity from 1985 to 1994, from Off The Telly
• The Broom Cupboard.co.uk, a history of CBBC continuity from 1985 to 1992, with over 150 pictures
• BBC considers end of children's shows on BBC 1 (Guardian)
• CBBC idents from 1983-2007
• The TV Room looks at presentation/branding on CBBC