The First Thing I Watched on the New CBBC Channel

I remember when CBBC became its own channel.

It felt like a big deal — like something had shifted.
New idents. New energy. That sense that this wasn’t just kids’ TV anymore, but our space.

And the very first thing I watched on the brand new CBBC channel was S Club 7 in Miami.

Which, honestly, feels perfect in hindsight.

Miami 7 had everything that early-2000s kids’ TV did best:
bright colours, unreal locations, friendship at the centre of everything, and problems that never felt too heavy. It didn’t feel like real life — it felt like a shinier, safer version of it.

Watching it on a brand new channel made it feel even more magical.
Like CBBC was saying: “this is the vibe now.”

There was something so Y2K about that moment.
A new millennium. A new channel. A show full of optimism and movement and sunshine. Everything felt possible, even if you were just sitting on the sofa with the TV on low.

I don’t remember analysing it.
I don’t remember deciding anything.

I just remember thinking:
“Oh. This is good.”

Looking back, it makes sense that this moment stuck with me.
Early CBBC wasn’t just about programmes — it was about atmosphere. Comfort, colour, confidence. A world that felt a bit unreal, and therefore a bit safer.

And for me, that world opened with Miami 7.

Not a bad way to start.