Central Productions

Background
This is the production arm of Central Television, formerly ATV.

1st Logo (January 1, 1982-1984)
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Logo:
 * Opening: On a dark background, what appears to be a total eclipse of the sun is seen, "shining" from its edges. The "shining" retracts after a second followed by the shadow beginning to move off the "sun", revealing it to actually be a light blue planet-like object. As the shadow gets halfway off the planet, it opens up like an egg and a bright array of coloured light bursts out. A couple of seconds later, the light retracts back into the planet and the two halves come back together to reveal the planet now has a crescent shaped shadow. Finally, the word "CENTRAL" fades in below the planet, set in Erbar Neo Mini.
 * Closing: On the same dark background, a flat white planet with a rainbow crescent inside is seen above the text "CENTRAL PRODUCTION", set in the same font as the opening logo.

Variants:
 * Sometimes, "CENTRAL PRODUCTION" may be reworded to "CENTRAL PRESENTATION". This was seen on movies and imported programmes.
 * Sometimes, a copyright stamp is added underneath, reading "©Central Independent Television plc. (year)".

Technique: None.

Music/Sounds: The ending theme of the programme or none.

Availability: Extremely rare.
 * Both the opening and closing logos can be seen on Challenge airings of Family Fortunes and Bullseye episodes from this period.
 * It can also be seen on episodes of the British version of Blockbusters from this period.
 * The bylineless "Production" variant was seen on Season 1 episodes of Auf Wiedersehen, Pet.
 * However, it was plastered on many episodes by the still version of the animated 1988 Central Production endcap on 1997 UK Gold airings and current UKTV Drama airings.
 * Despite this, it can still be found on a couple of later Season 1 episodes on UKTV Drama.
 * The bylineless "Production" variant also appears at the start of the 1991 UK VHS release of Rosie and Jim: Volume 2 from The Video Collection as well.

2nd Logo (November 1983-Autumn 1988)
Logo: The moon's rainbow shading is more blended and detail and the logo is now against a black background.

Variants:
 * Some versions would have the text below reading "CENTRAL PRODUCTION", "CENTRAL PRESENTATION", "CENTRAL OUTSIDE BROADCAST", "A ZENITH PRODUCTION FOR CENTRAL", "ZENITH PRODUCTION FOR CENTRAL", "CENTRAL PRODUCTION FOR CHANNEL 4", "CENTRAL PRODUCTIONS FOR CHANNEL 4", or "A CENTRAL PRODUCTION in association with MOSTPOINT Ltd for CHANNEL FOUR".
 * Some versions have a copyright date below.
 * On The Little Green Man, the moon is smaller and the company name is also larger than usual.
 * On some programmes such as The Little Green Man, Boon, Mengele, Bullseye from 1983 to 1988, the original airings of the first two seasons of Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends from 1984 and 1986, and Decade of Destruction, respectively, among others, the glow around the moon is not present.

Technique: None.

Music/Sounds: The ending theme of the programme or none.

Availability: Rare.
 * It appeared on programmes from this era such as Blockbusters, Boon and Sporting Triangles, among others.
 * It was also seen on the original airings of the first two seasons of Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends from 1984 and 1986, respectively, however, current prints of the show and U.S. prints remove this logo.
 * It can also be found at the end of The Little Green Man, Bullseye and Family Fortunes episodes from this era, among others.
 * It also appeared at the end of Decade of Destruction and Mengele, respectively.

3rd Logo (Spring 1988-1995)
Logo: Same as the 1988 Central ident until September 1, 1989.

Variants:
 * Most of the time, the 1988 animated logo has the text saying "CENTRAL PRODUCTION" below the logo, but on some programmes like The Nuclear Age and also on movies and imported programmes, the text just says "CENTRAL".
 * The 1988 animated logo exists as both filmed and videotaped versions, with the filmed version being seen on Woof! and Press Gang (both first seasons), respectively.
 * A still variant of the 1988 animated logo also exists, which was seen on some episodes of Auf Wiedersehen, Pet on 1997 UK Gold airings and current UKTV Drama airings, respectively, plastering the 1st logo.
 * A version of the 1988 animated logo with the words "A CENTRAL PRODUCTION FOR CHANNEL FOUR" also exists.
 * A version of the 1988 animated logo with the words "A ZENITH PRODUCTION FOR CENTRAL" also exists as well, which was seen on Inspector Morse from 1989.
 * Beginning on September 1, 1989, a still version of the 1988 Central ident is used, but with the cake smaller and the words "Times New Roman" below the logo.
 * A filmed variant also exists on the 1989 version of the logo, which appears on some drama programmes until 1992. It was also strangely seen on original airings of some episodes of The Dreamstone as well.
 * As with other ITV logos, "PRODUCTION" may be replaced with 'PRESENTATION" or "PROGRAMME".
 * The 1989 ITV logo also appears underneath either the "A CENTRAL PRODUCTION FOR", "A CENTRAL PROGRAMME FOR" or "A CENTRAL PRESENTATION FOR" notice on networked programmes.
 * Another variant which features the Central cake logo and the words "CENTRAL FOR" and the 1989 ITV logo appearing below also exists which was seen on movies and imported programmes.
 * Beginning in 1993, the Central cake logo is larger and more colourful, which appears on the 1994 series of Blockbusters, 1994 episodes of Family Fortunes, The Upper Hand (season 6), Soldier Soldier (season 4) and also on the original 1994 airing of the Mr. Bean episode "Back to School, Mr. Bean", respectively, among others. However, some programmes such as Sharpe's Company, Sharpe's Enemy and Sharpe's Honour continued to use the 1989 version of the logo.
 * A superimposed version of the 1993 variant of this logo with the words "A CENTRAL PROGRAMME" also exists, which was seen on Central Weekend Live.

Technique: None, or CGI for the 1988 animated logo.

Music/Sounds: Same as the 1988 Central ident until September 1, 1989.

Music/Sounds Variants:
 * Sometimes, the synthesized sweep is absent in the seven-note orchestral fanfare, which is heard on the filmed version of the 1988 animated logo.
 * The ending theme of the programme or none beginning on September 1, 1989.

Availability: Rare.
 * Reruns of both Family Fortunes and Bullseye episodes from 1988 and 1989 on Challenge have the 1988 animated "Central Production" variant of this logo intact.
 * The filmed version of the 1988 animated logo appears on Woof! and Press Gang (both seasons 1 only), respectively, among others.
 * The 1988 animated "Central Production" variant of this logo also appears on God, The Universe and Everything Else (1988), Blockbusters, Gardening Time and Playbox, and was also seen on the original 1989 airings of both Huxley Pig (Season 1 only) and Bangers and Mash, and the final edition of Central News at Six (South Edition), respectively, among others.
 * The 1989 version of the logo appears on original programmes by Central such as Huxley Pig (Season 2), The Upper Hand, The Gingerbread Man, Tots TV and Rosie & Jim, respectively, among many others.
 * The 1989 version of the logo was also seen on the 1991 reruns of the second season of Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends on Children's ITV as well.
 * The 1989 version of the logo was also seen on the first series of The Legends of Treasure Island as well.
 * The 1989 version of the logo was also seen on the original airings of Astro Farm as well.
 * The 1989 version of the logo also appears at the end of the 1990 UK VHS release of Rosie & Jim: Volume 1 before The Video Collection's 1986-1995 ident as well.
 * The 1989 version of the logo was also seen on Rosie & Jim on the now-defunct Canadian cable channel BBC Kids (which was available in the United States as a VOD service on select providers).
 * Also found on some Inspector Morse tapes by BFS Video, as well as a Cineplex Odeon/MCA VHS of Woof!.
 * Challenge airings of Blockbusters also has the 1989 version of the logo intact.
 * VHS and DVD releases of The Dreamstone also feature this logo, though on the DVD releases of the show's first-two seasons (which had Filmfair's involvement), the length of time the logo stays on after the credits end is shortened for the 2004 Cookie Jar Entertainment logo.
 * Current prints of Sharpe's Eagle and Sharpe's Company, Sharpe's Enemy and Sharpe's Honour also have it still intact, although current prints of Sharpe's Rifles plaster it with the ITV Studios Global Entertainment logo.
 * The 1993 version of the logo was also seen on the 1994 series of Blockbusters, 1994 episodes of Family Fortunes, The Upper Hand (season 6), Soldier Soldier (season 4) and on the original 1994 airing of the Mr. Bean episode "Back to School, Mr. Bean", respectively, among others.

4th Logo (1990)
Logo: On a purple background with moving dark shaded shapes, the cake symbol is formed through a rotating black sphere, which crossfades into said logo. It then rotates and lays flat on the ground, followed by "CENTRAL", while parallel to the object, slides in and rests on top of the cake symbol. Underneath, "A CENTRAL PRESENTATION" fades in and then it, alongside the logo, fades out.

Technique: CGI.

Music/Sounds: A funky percussion soundtrack accompanied with an announcer.

Availability: Extinct; only seen on original Central airings of various movies from this period such as An Officer and a Gentleman.

5th Logo (1995-December 31, 1996)
Logo: On the same grey marble background as the 1995 Carlton UK Productions logo, the cake, now with added shading, is above "A Central Programme"

Variants:
 * Like before, "Programme" may be replaced by "Presentation" or "Production".
 * The 1989 ITV logo also appears underneath the Central text on networked programmes.
 * On the seventh and final series of The Upper Hand, it is preceded by the Columbia TriStar Carlton UK Productions logo, which also takes place on the same background.

Technique: None.

Music/Sounds: The ending theme of the programme or none.

Availability: Rare.
 * Although it had a short lifespan, it is fairly easy to find thanks to it preceding the 1995 Carlton UK Productions logo on most programmes produced within said banner.
 * These include Family Fortunes, Dale's Supermarket Sweep and The Way Through the Woods, among many others.
 * The latter can also be found through VHS releases whereas several other programmes such as Cadfael has this logo intact on some episodes on streaming prints.
 * It also survives intact on current prints of the 1995-1996 episodes of Sharpe.
 * It also appeared on the original 1995 airings of the Mr. Bean episodes "Tee Off, Mr. Bean" and "Goodnight Mr. Bean", respectively, as well.
 * It also appeared on the original airings of Molly's Gang as well.
 * It also appeared at the end of Des O'Connor's Christmas with the Stars, following the mid-1996 production variant of the 1990 Thames Television logo as well.

6th Logo (January 1, 1997-April 26, 1998)
Logo: The logo from before is now against the same cloudy background as the 1997 ident and the text now simply reads "Central programme".

Variants:
 * Like before, "Programme" may be replaced by "Presentation".
 * The 1989 ITV logo also appears underneath the Central text on networked programmes.
 * From late 1997 until April 1998, the ITV URL also sometimes appears on the bottom right of the screen saying "www.itv.co.uk".

Technique: None.

Music/Sounds: The ending theme of the programme or none.

Availability: Rare.
 * It was seen on Central programmes from the era, such as Family Fortunes and Dale's Supermarket Sweep episodes from this period, which can only be found through old video recordings, and on Des O'Connor Tonight (after the 1997 Thames logo), among others.
 * It also appears on Challenge airings of Family Fortunes episodes from 1997 to 1998 as well.
 * It was also seen on Sharpe's Revenge, Sharpe's Justice and Sharpe's Waterloo, with current prints of them keeping it intact, with it succeeded by the 2013 ITV Studios Global Entertainment logo.
 * It was also seen on original prints of Sharpe the Legend, as current prints plaster this with the 1999 Carlton International logo.
 * It was also seen on a December 8, 1997 rerun of the Mr. Bean episode "Mind the Baby, Mr. Bean" as well.

7th Logo (April 27, 1998-September 5, 1999)
Logo: Same as the 1996 Carlton Productions logo but with said company's name replaced with "CENTRAL".

Variants:
 * At the end of certain programmes, the word "Production", "Programme", "Presentation for ITV", or "Programme for ITV" with the 1989 ITV logo (until October 4, 1998) appears below.
 * Sometimes, the ITV URL appears on the bottom right of the screen saying "www.itv.co.uk"
 * Beginning in mid-July 1999, the Carlton URL appears at the bottom of the screen saying "www.carlton.com".

Technique: None.

Music/Sounds: The ending theme of the programme or none.

Availability: Extremely rare.
 * It appears on Central programmes from 1998 to 1999 such as Barbara, the final series of Take Your Pick! (following the 1997 Thames logo), and the 1998-1999 series (Series 6) of Dale's Supermarket Sweep, among others.
 * However, later prints of Dale's Supermarket Sweep which air on Challenge plaster that and the Pearson/Carlton logo with the 2001 FremantleMedia or the 2018 Fremantle logo, but is still retained on at least one episode.
 * The 1998-1999 series (Series 18) of Family Fortunes also used this and is normally retained whenever Challenge re-broadcasts the series.