Disclaimer: this is a personal post, and does not represent the views of the BBC.
What do most people use YouTube for? Surely, EVERYBODY uses it for the exact reason I do: to watch lots of lovely old BBC2 continuity from 1992. Such as the below video, uploaded by Andrew Wiseman. The whole thing is well worth watching; I particularly like the trail for The Addams Family. Or perhaps I just like the idea of TV channels showing The Addams Family.
But the interesting part of this video for our purposes today is right at the beginning: it starts with the original network continuity into the Red Dwarf episode “Holoship”, broadcast on the 20th February 1992. Sadly, the recording is not quite complete – some words are missing at the front – but it’s mostly there. Your announcer is Halyna Kozak.
“…Red Dwarf return for another tour of duty around the outer regions of human imagination, proving that love can even conquer uncharted space.”
A lovely announcement, for one of the most romantic episodes Red Dwarf ever did.
* * *
How many times has the episode “Holoship” been broadcast on the BBC over the years?
For the answer, we have to check Christopher Wickham’s Red Dwarf BBC Broadcasts Guide. So after its 1992 premiere, it was shown again on 26th March 1993, the 2nd September 1994, and the 24th December 2003. Oh, and the 13th August 2026. Nearly 35 years after its first broadcast, and well over 20 years since it was last shown on BBC Two.
So I thought it might be nice to do something fun.
Which is why, for this latest transmission, BBC Two network used the exact same ident in front of the programme which was used when the show first aired back in 1992: Copper Cutout. It also used an adapted version of the original continuity script, with the missing opening words filled in to the best of my ability.
Your 2026 network announcer for this recreated piece of continuity is Nicola Phoenix.
Of course, BBC Two Northern Ireland joined in the fun:
And brilliantly, BBC Two Wales – by complete coincidence – had the same announcer on shift in 1992 and 2026, Mark James:
I hope, if you’re the kind of person who reads Dirty Feed, you enjoyed all that as much as I did.
* * *
Some of you may remember that back in 2023, I was involved in something similar with a repeat of the first episode of Red Dwarf. Back then, I said:
“Sure, the above is a silly piece of nonsense. Vanishingly few people would have realised what we had done. But silly though it may be, I also find it weirdly emotional too. Joining the dots across 35 years on the channel feels like it means something. An awareness of the history of the channel, and of the show, rather than just blasting out another 30 minutes of content.
Television could perhaps do with a bit more of that.”
I still feel the above, perhaps even more so. But what I find fun about the “Holoship” introduction this time around, going one step further and using a retro ident as well as an adaptation of the original continuity script, is that it really does work on multiple levels.
For deep Red Dwarf nerds, who hunt out and care about what the original continuity into the show was, hopefully they will recognise it and get a warm fuzzy feeling. A more general audience will recognise the old ident, and simply enjoy the “flashback to the 90s” vibe, which the newly-written opening to the announcement sets up nicely. And plenty of people won’t notice there’s anything different going on at all… but crucially, the original continuity script works on its own terms to introduce the show. Whichever level you’re watching on, it does the job.
Having fun with things like this doesn’t mean only speaking to a tiny part of the audience. Done correctly, you can still manage to speak to everybody.
8 comments
Mark Cook on 16 August 2026 @ 11am
I am awed by this on so many levels.
First, that the original continuity still exists, and you found it.
Second, that you are able to write continuity announcements and have them broadcast.
Third, that you got the entire package arranged – old ident and nations involved (complete with an extra spin from the original continuity announcer in Wales!)
Beautiful!
Were you shouting “I love my job” at the screen once the opening credits were safely under way? :-) (I would have done.)
Adam Tandy on 16 August 2026 @ 11am
BBC2 did the same trick with the return of The League of Gentlemen for its anniversary shows in 2017. Such a lovely thing to do, ably assisting our opening shots, which were the same as the original opening shots; the clock uid was the only change on the TX form…
John J. Hoare on 16 August 2026 @ 11am
Mark: I have to admit I enjoyed it! I should probably say that Nicola rewrote my original amended opening, which was a more standard “Back to the 90s now on BBC Two…” I think her version is better.
Adam: I now can’t remember whether you know whether I was also behind the League of Gentlemen one too! With that one, I seem to recall making sure it even had the same visual transition between the symbol and the programme (a 20-frame V-fade, if I recall).
With the Red Dwarf one, we were going from a 16:9 version of the symbol, to a 4:3 programme, so we were obliged to put a fade in to disguise the aspect ratio change, rather than do the mix as per the original episode in 1992. Which was perhaps a bit of a shame, but the 4:3 version of the symbol wasn’t available in playout, and mixing through from 16:9 to 4:3 would look odd.
KL on 16 August 2026 @ 3pm
This is amazing. Pure joy to know you did this! Also wonderful to think that each ident is a little work of art with its own name, like Copper Cutout.
PG on 17 August 2026 @ 6am
This is wonderful.
More than the “What has the BBC done for us” ads could ever say, this sums up what the BBC can do that is very hard for others to do. It’s the sense of identity and continuity (no pun intended) over a prolonged time, that it’s more than just a corporation; it identifies itself with its output, and is proud of its heritage.
Yes, this is a bit of fun, but that’s often the way that people and organisations can show what they truly value.
Leigh Graham on 17 August 2026 @ 10am
All this only possible because of the unique way the BBC is funded. Can you imaging anyone at ITV even having the least inclination to bother?
Rob Keeley on 18 August 2026 @ 9pm
Brilliant, John.
What does it feel like to have such power? :)
Daniel Mistri on 27 August 2026 @ 11pm
What a great way to give the repeat even more of a sense of history. Also, on the first video, it was great to see and hear Out of the Blue by Elton John over the end credits to Top Gear again.