UKTV G2

Credits

Descriptions by
LTPHarry

Captures by
SubparMario63 and Chow Woon Gan

Editions by
Chow Woon Gan

Background

UKTV G2 (now known as Dave) was originally launched on October 1, 1998 as UK Gold Classics, becoming the first digital-only UKTV channel. It was a part-time service that aired the channel's older programmes during weekends. On April 2, 1999, it was relaunched as UK Gold 2, becoming a secondary timeshift service that aired UK Gold's daytime programmes during the evening, and expanded to seven nights a week shortly afterward.

On November 12, 2003, the channel was relaunched as UK G², gaining its own schedule and reinventing itself as the "edgier, younger" alternative to UK Gold. It was renamed UKTV G2 on March 8, 2004 and in 2006, began broadcasting during the daytime as well.

UK Gold Classics/UK Gold 2

Contents 1st ID (October 1, 1998-May 7, 2001) 2nd ID (May 8, 2001-September 1, 2002) 3rd ID (July 2002-August 6, 2003) 4th ID (August 7-November 11, 2003)

UK G²/UKTV G2

Contents   ID (November 12, 2003-October 14, 2007)

UK Gold Classics/UK Gold 2

1st ID (October 1, 1998-May 7, 2001)

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Visuals: On a dark blue background with a gold floor, some objects (either apples, leaves or arrows) fall from the top of the screen, always bouncing or being stuck in the floor. Those in gold however go through the floor instead. The text "^UK GOLD CLASSICS" (October 1, 1998-April 1, 1999) or "^UK GOLD 2" (April 2, 1999-May 7, 2001) with "UK" as a prefix inside a white box with a line appears on the bottom.

Technique: A mix of live-action footage and flashing effects, designed by Lambie-Nairn.

Audio: A sort of calm synth tune. Some notes occur when the golden objects touch the floor. Sometimes, an announcer can be heard after the theme.

2nd ID (May 8, 2001-September 1, 2002)

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Visuals: On a black-purple background, fireworks appear and make shapes in the air. The "^UKGold 2" logo appears on the bottom.

Variants:

• Catherine Wheel - A Catherine Wheel bounces around and then spins right into the screen. It then continues to bounce around.
• Zig-Zag - A firework beam zig-zags around the screen, forming triangle shapes.
• Swirl - A firework swirls right into the middle of the screen and then explodes.
• Laser - Blue and Red laser sparks move around and soon collide to create a tremendous effect, before continuing to move around.
• Double Collision - Two firework beams move all around the screen and then crash into each other before repeating the effect.

Trivia: This ident package was created to coincide with the launch of UK Gold 2 (a rebranding of UK Gold Classics), which inherited the previous package.

Technique: CGI by Lambie-Nairn.

Audio: Depends on the idents, normally firework sounds and different tracks playing.

Availability: During the Summer of 2002, these idents were only used during the daytime, while the next set was adopted for the channel's "Summer Nights of Comedy" event.

3rd ID (July 2002-August 6, 2003)

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Visuals: Many different activities happen on the screen (such as in a hair salon, a toilet and a bath). The "^UKGold 2" logo then fades in on the bottom.

Technique: Live-action.

Audio: Just the sounds from the action.

Availability: It was originally used for UK Gold's 2002 "Summer Nights of Comedy" event, alternating with the fireworks during the evening, before the package was adopted fully on September 2.

4th ID (August 7-November 11, 2003)

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Visuals: Live-action scenes can be seen throughout, involving channel-hopping viewers with their TV set "off stage", being brought to a halt by the appearance of a golden light. Then the "^UKGold ²" logo appears inside a red shape, then other shapes come around to form a yellow-orange background behind it.

Variants:

• Sofa - There are two people resting on a chair, although only their feet are shown, which the golden lights then reflect on the skin. The two people get off the sofa quite slowly as the logo zooms onto the screen.
• Press-Ups - A man in his boxers is doing press-ups upside down. His skin shines orange, to reveal that his legs are hanging upside down. The logo zooms down.
• Washing Up - Someone is doing the washing up. The inside of the sink is shown, and the water glows orange. The person then leaves the running water unattended, letting it overflow. The logo zooms down.
• Old Man - A younger woman is flicking the channels while an older man is snoozing. He opens his eyes as soon as the screen turns orange.

Technique: Live-action and 2D computer animation. This ident was designed by Dunning Eley Jones.

Audio: An echoed electronic note plays, accompanied by a held one. This is followed by a reversed eerie piano note and a boom, followed by an echoing electronic tune that repeats for the rest of the ident, accompanied by sparkling noises.

UK G²/UKTV G2

ID (November 12, 2003-October 14, 2007)

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Visuals: There are all sorts of different moments that correspond with the channel's younger, youth demographic. The end result has the "UKG²" logo moving into the middle with blue shapes forming a light-blue background behind it. The "Apart of UKTV+" symbol appears afterward.

• Bike - Two men are seen walking before they noticed something as the camera quickly pans to two bikes. The men are seen looking at it, before it cuts to a man cycling on a bike over a suburban street, as the camera then cuts to a dog following him. This is followed by two men riding a bike with the dog and laughs, and the logo formation is shown at the end.
• Prams - At a park, three women are seen talking to each other as a woman is walking towards them. Suddenly, two men pass by, causing the women to look at them as a shot of a woman is looking confused. The camera cuts to show five men are seen pushing a pram while mimicking race car noises. It then cuts to a skateboarder sees the men's action, followed by a shot of the skateboarder and four women looking at them, as the final shot shows five men are running away. The logo formation is then shown.
• Office - In an office setting, a man is seen stretching his arms as a woman looks at him. A man then plays with the finger guns, as the woman also plays with him. Another man carrying papers then walks through them before getting blown by the man's finger guns and falls down. The logo formation is then shown.
• Bed - At a bedroom, a real estate agent is showing the bedroom to the man while the woman looks at it. The camera then cuts to the real estate agent and the man as they looking out the window, before a woman notices something and dives into a bed. This causing the bed to have a crashing noise, noticed by the man and the real estate agent. The camera then shows them looking at each other, before ends with a shot of a woman's face looking up, very happy. The logo formation is then shown.

Christmas Idents: For 2003, UKTV went with a Christmas greeting card theme for their channels, with UK G²'s card featuring two people in a living room, one of them riding a bike of sorts. UK Gold, UK Drama and UK G² all shared the same idents (one featuring falling cards, the other featuring mince pies that a dog takes away) just with different ending screens.

Variant: Beginning in March 8, 2004, the then-current logo ("UKTV" with "G2" underneath) and shape are moved to the center left of the screen during the end sequence.

Technique: Live-action, with CGI for the logo ending sequence.

Audio: Corresponding sound effects. At the end, a reversed synth note plays before gets cut off abruptly.