The many faces of BBC ONE - all very different and unusual - are revealed in an exciting £253 million season as top names from drama, entertainment, factual and sport join forces to give viewers the best spring and summer season ever.

From Steve MacFadden, in his first role outside EastEnders in a decade, Ewan McGregor as he’s never been seen before and Ian Wright making his debut on the channel, to the most scientific attempt ever to discover what Jesus Christ may have looked like in Son of God. This is BBC ONE setting its face to the future. An image of the face is being released today for the first time.

Lorraine Heggessey, Controller of BBC ONE, said: "Son of God is one of the most exciting projects with which to launch the spring summer season. In some ways, it is the epitome of my new BBC ONE - it is accessible, modern in its approach and is not afraid to challenge some cast-in-stone beliefs about what makes a mainstream popular programme. It also harnesses the strengths of the BBC in computer technology, strong journalism and landmark programming, dares to ask some surprising questions of the traditional Christian stories and comes up with some unexpected conclusions.

"And that idea of taking risks is one that is at the root of what I think BBC ONE should be about. I’d rather take a leap of faith than be safe and predictable. I want to ambush our viewers’ imagination - to surprise and delight them. That is what I think we are starting to do in drama and entertainment, as viewers will see over the next few months. BBC ONE is bursting with ideas - it will take time to see them come to fruition but our new programmes pushing through will be more relevant, up to date, young at heart and thoroughly enjoyable."

Drama

Spring and summer sees 20 per cent more drama on BBC ONE than this time last year, as the channel enjoys an extra £11 million drama investment and introduces a slate of 14 brand new programmes.

  • From ER writer Patrick Harbinson comes an original thriller starring Amanda Burton, Neil Pearson, Bill Paterson and Emma Cunniffe, exploring the tricky business of loyalty and betrayal in The Whistle-Blower.

  • Award winning script writer Paul Abbott returns with a second series of Clocking Off. Lindsay Coulson and Ricky Tomlinson join the superb cast in a blend of stories of ordinary people with extraordinary lives.

  • Mersey Beat is a major new drama series starring Hadyn Gwynne as a superintendent leading a team of dedicated officers struggling to maintain humour and passion while dealing with everyday challenges of life in the North West. Also starring John McArdle and Jonathan Kerrigan.

  • Station Jim is a treat for all the family featuring George Cole, Charlie Creed-Miles, Prunella Scales and John Thomson in a tale of steam engines, dogs and orphans.

  • David Suchet, Timothy West, John Gordon Sinclair, Ian Kelsey and Steve McFadden lead an all star cast for Murder in Mind, a series of psychological film thrillers created by Anthony Horowitz.

  • Nigel Havers, Michael French and Frances Barber star in Gentleman Thief a tale of AJ Raffles, the infamous bachelor-about-town high society gentleman thief.

  • Ricky Tomlinson plays careworn Liverpudlian private eye Eddie McMullen in Nice Guy Eddie.

  • Ken Stott takes the lead as Inspector Red Metcalfe in Messiah: The first Killings adapted from Boris Starling’s terrifying thriller about a serial killer on the loose in London.

  • The Fabulous Bagel Boys combines investigative policing with the manic hubbub of the local deli against the backdrop of Glasgow’s Southside starring Denis Lawson and Michael French.

  • The Score is a winning combination of fantasy and football starring Robert Pugh as the long-suffering manager and Sue Johnston as his long suffering wife.

  • Set against the background of the Second World War, The Cazalet Chronicle shows a seemingly respectably British aristocracy rife with infidelity and guilty secrets with an all star cast including Lesley Manville and Paul Rhys. Produced by Verity Lambert and Joanna Lumley.

  • Returning series include Stewart Harcourt’s Hearts and Bones, Daziel & Pascoe, Holby and EastEnders.


    • Comedy and Entertainment

    Backing the best of British talent is at the core of comedy and entertainment on BBC ONE and this season we have the premier league both on and off screen.

    • Ian Wright - Lorraine Heggessey’s first big signing since she took over the channel - brings his own unique style to the third series of Friends Like These.

    • Richard Wilson takes on his first situation comedy role since One Foot in the Grave in Michael Aitkens’s new comedy Other Animals as he and Stephanie Cole cope with the family from hell.

    • Simon Nye’s new comedy series starring Marcus Bridgstock, Victoria Hamilton and Geoffrey Palmer puts the ‘fun’ into dysfunctional and the ‘mess’ into domestic in the The Savages.

    • A group of carefully selected strangers pitch their wits against each other in Dog Eat Dog, hosted by Ukrika Jonsson in a new show designed to test the strengths and weaknesses of the team.

    • Returning series include My Family, My Hero, Chambers and Alistair McGowan’s Big Impression.


    Factual

    The range and diversity across the factual output means that this season we have landmark documentaries and Hollywood movie stars as you’ve never seen them before.

    • British movie star, Ewan McGregor’ agrees to test his mettle on a gruelling 10-day trek through a Central American jungle with survival expert Ray Mears in Trips Money Can’t Buy.

    • Son of God is a landmark documentary series presented by former BBC Middle East correspondent Jeremy Bowen bringing the story of Jesus to life. Dispelling Myth and legend and using the latest scientific technology and historical research with computer graphics to reconstruct the main events in Jesus’ life.

    • Sam Neill joins BBC ONE to present Space, an investigation into the mysteries of the universe that are over in a blink of an eye to witness cataclysms that are over in a link of an eye.

    • Ultimate Killers presented by intrepid Steve Leonard sets out on a personal quest to find the fastest, most powerful and deadliest animals in the world.

    • Jeremy Clarkson is back in the driving seat in Speed a new series which looks at the art of going fast as he sets out to meet those who have travelled faster than anyone in the world.


    Sport

    • Boxing is back on BBC ONE as we follow world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis as he defends his title this April and we showcase the rise to international status of Olympic gold medal winner Audley Harrison.

    • BBC Sport boasts an unrivalled team of former players including John McEnroe, Sue Barker and John Inverdale to present coverage of the Wimbledon Championships 2001.

    • Golf remains a major highlight this season with coverage of the US Masters and the British Open.

    • We have extensive coverage of horse racing this season with the Grand National, Royal Ascot and the Derby back on the BBC after 20 years.