Controller of BBC One

The controller of BBC One is, according to Doctor Who Magazine staff writer, Benjamin Cook, "the channel's creative leader, responsible for its editorial vision and its commissioning and scheduling strategies, controlling its overall direction and content." (DWM 356) They are therefore the practical head of the network.

Amongst the controllers most significant to the history of Doctor Who have been:
 * Michael Grade, who "rested" the programme in 1985
 * Peter Salmon, who attempted in 1999 to resurrect Doctor Who with Russell T Davies, but was prevented by rights issues.
 * Lorraine Heggessey, who eventually restored the rights to BBC One and commissioned series 1.