BBC One: Names in the frame

The new controller will have one of the BBC's top jobs

A number of people have been mentioned as possible successors to Lorraine Heggessey as the controller of BBC One after she announced her resignation.

The job is one of the most coveted in the entertainment industry, with the recipient in charge of a multi-million pound budget.

The BBC News website profiles those tipped for the role.

JANE TRANTER

Jane Tranter, the controller of BBC drama commissioning was recently named the second most powerful person in TV drama by the Radio Times, behind actress Julie Walters.

Appointed in 2000, her position puts her in charge of more than 400 hours programming a year.

Jane Tranter was promoted to controller of drama commissioning in 2000

Among her recent commissions were the updated adaptations of The Canterbury Tales, the lavish costume drama Charles II and the CGI wildlife drama Pride.

The political drama State of Play was nominated for five Baftas in 2003, going on to win three of them.

She has had to rebuke criticism that big-ratings dramas such as Merseybeat and Holby City are "humdrum".

JANE LUSH

Jane Lush, controller of commissioning entertainment, is responsible for commissioning programming across BBC One, Two, Three and Four.

Jane Lush is head of entertainment commissioning

She was responsible for bringing Graham Norton to the BBC under an exclusive deal. As yet projects featuring the Irish comic have been slow to come to air.

She was also responsible for asking Angus Deayton to stand down from hosting Have I Got News for You following tabloid revelations about cocaine and prostitutes.

But she also oversaw the loss of Michael Parkinson to ITV.

WAYNE GARVIE

Wayne Garvie, head of the BBC's Entertainment Group, is credited with making ballroom dancing fashionable following the success of Strictly Come Dancing.

Wayne Garvie is credited with the success of Strictly Come Dancing

Seen as a risky proposition, the show was placed in the tricky Saturday night slot and which was strongly backed by Heggessey.

He was seen as a contender to replace Jane Root at BBC Two controller when she left to take up a management position at the Discovery Channel in the US. The job went to BBC Four chief Roly Keating.

KEVIN LYGO

Kevin Lygo, a contender outside the BBC, is currently Channel 4's director of programmes.

He was formally head of programmes at channel Five, where he tried to close the ratings gap on Channel 4 by buying more arts shows, populist documentaries, US dramas and Hollywood blockbusters.

Kevin Lygo helped changed the image of channel Five

He was also in charge when it changed its name from Channel Five to simply Five as it aimed to improve its image as a serious TV station, getting away from its reputation as the home of smut.

He spent two years at Five before returning to Channel 4 to take up the reigns as director of programmes.

His previous spell at Channel 4 has seen him launch Da Ali G Show, Trigger Happy TV and Graham Norton.

His career began writing for comedy shows including Not the Nine O'Clock News and Never Mind the Buzzcocks.

ALISON SHARMAN

Alison Sharman was appointed BBC controller of daytime in 2002, having started at the corporation as a secretary on consumer affairs programme Watchdog.

Alison Sharman has enjoyed a long career at the BBC

She has reintroduced The Afternoon Play, one-off dramas in the afternoon slot and launched a daytime current affairs programme Britain's Secret Shame.

Daytime has become a starting block for shows such as Bargain Hunt and Flog It which have gone on to secure prime time slots.

She has also worked at BskyB, TV-am and produced programmes for Channel 4.

NIGEL PICKARD

Nigel Pickard left the BBC to become ITV director of programmes in 2002.

His credentials for the BBC One job are strong, having been the controller of children's programmes at the BBC, where Lorraine Heggessey made her mark before moving up.

Pickard has a long history in children's programming

One of his crowning glories was launching SM:TV and CD:UK for ITV, stealing the BBC's long-held crown as the most watched Saturday morning children's channel.

He was later lured back to the BBC to head children's output and orchestrated the launch of digital channels CBeebies and CBBC.

ITV once again gained back his expertise when he was offered one of its top jobs, director of programmes, in 2002.