BBC Two Scotland was a Scottish free-to-air television channel owned and operated byBBC Scotland as a variation of theBBC Two network. It was broadcast via digital television and was the sister Scottish channel ofBBC One Scotland and Gaelic-languageBBC Alba. Unlike BBC One Scotland, which broadcasts its own continuity with only rare exceptions, BBC Two Scotland would opt in and out of BBC Two network continuity throughout the day.

BBC Two Scotland

Final logo, used from 2007 to 2019
Country	United Kingdom
Network	BBC Two
Programming
Picture format	576i (16:9SDTV)
Ownership
Owner	BBC Scotland
Sister channels	BBC One Scotland BBC Alba
History
Launched	9 July 1966; 58 years ago (1966-07-09) 30 March 2001; 24 years ago (2001-03-30) (digital version)
Replaced	BBC Choice Scotland (Digital version)
Closed	17 February 2019; 6 years ago (2019-02-17) 31 December 2010; 14 years ago (2010-12-31) (digital version)
Replaced by	BBC Scotland
Former names	BBC 2 Scotland (9 July 1966 – 16 February 1991) BBC Scotland On 2 (16 February 1991 – 4 October 1997)
Availability (at time of closure)
Terrestrial
Freeview	Channel 2

At the end of June 1965, in response to a question in the House of Commons, the Assistant Postmaster General, Joseph Slater, announced that the first BBC2 UHF station in Scotland was expected to open at Black Hill that December, with a second station at Durris serving the north-east towards the end of the following year, or soon after. Further stations were planned to extend BBC2 to the rest of Scotland, but it was too early to determine when they were likely to open.^[1]

However, bad weather delayed the project and the completion date was put back to the Spring of 1966.^[2]

The BBC2 transmitter atBlackhill finally went into full service on 9 July 1966, broadcasting to a potential audience of 2.3 million. The programme schedule that evening began at 7pm with the channel's controller,David Attenborough, introducing BBC-2 to Scotland,^[3] followed byPick of the Month, in whichDenis Tuohy andJoan Bakewell choose and introduced highlights from some of the programmes seen on BBC2 during June.^[3] It was followed by the first half of a dramatisation of Walter Scott'sThe Heart of Midlothian at 8pm, recorded in the BBC's Queen Margaret Drive studios in Glasgow.^[4] At 10:05pm,The Sport Scene with David Vine, included highlights of the final day of golf'sOpen Championship at Muirfield, East Lothian.^[5]

Attenborough said at a news conference at the time of launching the service to Scotland that with Scotland a higher percentage of university students than England, there was an unlikely chance that the channel was deemed to be too highbrow.^[6]

Prior to digital switchover, 'BBC Two Scotland' and 'BBC Two Scotland (Digital)' were listed as separate channels by some guides, but were effectively the same channel, broadcasting identical feeds as part of the transition to digital television.

On 24 February 2019, the BBC launched theBBC Scotland channel, a new autonomous service that broadcasts a nightly lineup of Scottish programming. In preparation for its launch, BBC Two Scotland was discontinued and replaced by the national version beginning 18 February. BBC Scotland officially broadcasts from 19:00 to 00:00 nightly, but simulcasts BBC Two daily from 12:00 to 19:00, and may opt out for sport and political broadcasts of regional interest during this period.^[7][8][9] BBC Two Scotland remained on the SkyEPG on channel 970 until 28 February 2019. From 18 to 27 February 2019, BBC Two Scotland simulcastedBBC Two (England region).

Similarly to BBC One Scotland, BBC Two Scotland offered differing programming from theUK-wide network specifically aimed at Scottish viewers. Often, this was more specialised programming such asArtworks Scotland,Holyrood Live and the Gaelic strands branded asBBC Two (Dhà) Alba.

During the daytime and overnight schedules, BBC Scotland replaced some of the national education programming for shows better targeted at the separate Scottisheducation system and replacing some politics strands with coverage of Scottish politics. BBC Sport Scotland would sometimes use BBC Two Scotland to broadcast live coverage of more minority sports, such asathletics andshinty, with some sports such asmountain biking andcross-country showcased inThe Adventure Show.

Additionally, on Sunday nights, BBC Two Scotland had become the regular home forSportscene's highlights of the SPFL, precedingMatch of the Day 2.

TheMusic Show was launched on BBC Two Scotland in November 2005, presented byShantha Roberts. Its programming included live performances from a wide range of musical styles, with bands filmed around the country at different venues and unusual locations, rather than in the studio. Musical styles includedindie,jazz,folk,funk,hip hop andelectro pop.^[10] Its last shows were broadcast in November 2014.^[11]

Other examples of BBC Two Scotland programmes include:

• BBC Two Scotland listings atBBC Online
• BBC Scotland atBBC Online