Bugbies

Bugbies (or known as Bugs or Blobs by fans) are the mascots of BBC's specialty kids channels (CBeebies, CBBC and BBC Kids). They were first shown on BBC Kids in Canada on November 5, 2001. Later, they were first shown in the UK for the launch of the CBBC channel February 11, 2002. CBeebies was launched on the same day as the CBBC Channel: 11 February 2002, with an original age range of pre-school children only. Following changes within the BBC Children's department, this changed to ages up to 6, with CBBC targeting ages 6 to 12.
The idents for the channel, designed by Lambie-Nairn, are the same as at launch and consist of yellow blobs, the opposite to the green blobs launched with the CBBC Channel with a much younger feel, as befits the target audience. The yellow blobs were also seen in BBC Kids' then-current idents. They directly oppose the CBBC blobs, as these blobs are gentle in their actions and to look at, whereas the green CBBC blobs looked more outgoing and violent—one of the CBBC idents at the time involved karate. Like CBBC, CBeebies rebranded with the new BBC logo on 15 March 2023.
==History==
On February 11, 2002, CBBC changed dramatically in both its look and remit. The day marked the launch of the CBBC Channel, resulting in a new platform for the well-known brand. Also launched at the same time was CBeebies, resulting in CBBC's remit changing from 0–12 years of age to 6–12 years. To mark both, a new identity was created for both to mark the occasion. Designed by Lambie-Nairn, the bug idents featured green one-eyed moving bugs that contained the BBC logo as well as the purple, textured 'C'. The bugs could split into others, and would often be depicted either fighting amongst themselves, or as being split or separated multiple times. In the last few weeks of the 'Yellow Animations' ident package before the day of the rebrand, the bugs occasionally invaded its ident package and presentation, but at the same time, they also occasionally invaded the BBC One idents and presentation, which teased and confused viewers into the upcoming new look. On 1 January 2004, the bugs have their own home in the idents, which was a lava lamp background containing with a purple building used for the CBBC Channel and a pink building used for CBBC's morning and afternoon strands on BBC One and Two. In-vision was still used, with TC9 being used for links on BBC One and Two, and the CBBC Channel using TC2, however the set was changed to vivid backgrounds with blob shapes on, often with the idents playing in the background. Promotions also changed so branding only occurred at the end, at which a wavy blue banner at the bottom would flow it with programme details on, usually with a blob looking in from the side of the screen. The new channel also had a DOG featuring the BBC logo, with a blob containing the 'C' only in front. The DOG was not used on terrestrial links, although a clock was occasionally added for morning links, either on its own or located inside a static blob.
CBeebies was launched with the CBBC Channel on 11 February 2002, with an original age range of preschool children only. Following changes within the BBC Children's department, this changed to ages up to 6, with CBBC targeting ages 6–12. The logo the channel launched with lasted for 21 years, making it one of the most iconic and longest lasting logos ever. The idents for the channel, designed by Lambie-Nairn, are the same as at launch and consist of yellow blobs (also known as the Bugbies), the opposite to the green blobs launched with the CBBC channel with a much younger feel, as befits the target audience. In the last few weeks before CBeebies launched on the 11 February 2002, a CBeebies bug would occasionally appear on-screen briefly in either CBBC's 'yellow' idents or in the presentation during the preschool programming, which teased young viewers that CBeebies was coming soon. The yellow blobs would bounce around gently to each other in a brightly coloured and patterned environment, with the CBeebies logo located in the centre top of the screen. The soundtrack was also gentle, with children's voices calling out the channel name, and the whole look was deliberately meant to be parallel, yet completely different from its sister channel, CBBC. In addition to these idents, some more were created featuring the presenters bouncing the CBeebies logo around like a beach ball, and also some which featured the blobs taking part in time related idents, such as sleeping on the moon in the Bedtime Hour, drinking milk at Lunchtime, or riding a bike in Big Fun Time. Some idents are specific to strands of programmes, such as Discover and Do. CBeebies, like the 'CBBC block' before it, make use of in-vision continuity links, however these are not presented by the CBeebies directors, but are recorded rather than broadcast live. The presenters make use of a large, colourful space with smooth lines and everyday objects, which is again appropriate to the age range.
Promotions originally featured a similar style as CBBC, with a patterned and coloured bar running across the bottom of the end of the promotion, featuring the title and CBeebies logo. This was changed after the 2007 CBBC rebrand to three pattered hills overlapping each at the bottom of the screen. From 2009, the CBeebies logo and programme name would be contained within the center hill, with the left hill taken up by a yellow blob containing a clock with the time of the programme on, and the right occasionally containing details such as whether the programme was new. The channel also uses a DOG also known as the screen bugs (and has done since its launch), in the form of the yellow CBeebies logo, which rotates during the weekday segments at regular intervals to reveal a symbol for the segment; for example, the symbol for Discover and Do features a bug looking up at a rainbow. In the past, the channel has used different rotating DOGs including a dancing bug to promote Boogie Beebies.
CBeebies uses many identities throughout the day during the breaks in between shows. Most of these idents feature the mascots, named the Bugs, also known as the Bugbies. The Bugbies are yellow blobs with faces, and similar to the ones used by CBBC between 2002 and 2005, with the only difference being the colour: green for CBBC and yellow for CBeebies. Most idents feature children saying the channel name twice once the logo appears except the Bedtime idents. The idents have used a moving blobby, slimy-like background or rounded shapes in any colour. Each block has its own ident, and the Bedtime Hour has a few different idents. In 2016, new idents were made for each block, replacing the old ones and the slimy moving background idents were rarely shown. New idents featuring the CBeebies House have been used from 2016 to 2023.
On 15 March 2023, CBeebies underwent a rebranding by Blue Zoo to fully-adopt the BBC's new corporate branding, with the Bugs reimagined in a square-shaped form to evoke the BBC logo, and a new suite of idents and animated scenes incorporating two- and three-dimensional elements.
Following the BBC corporate rebrand in 2021, CBeebies finally updated with a new logo on 15 March 2023. The channel swapped out the designs for the yellow bugs with more square-like designs to match the new BBC logo, and the signature soundtrack was reimagined for the new branding. Like other BBC channels, the new BBC logo is always at the top, whilst the word "CBeebies" is always at the bottom.
== See also ==
* CBBC
* CBeebies
* BBC Kids
Category:BBC
Category:Characters
Category:Mascots
Category:CBBC
Category:CBeebies
Category:BBC Kids
Category:Characters originated from the United Kingdom
Category:Characters originated from Canada
Category:Lambie-Nairn
Category:2000's characters
Category:Eras