Ms Douglas said she was "thrilled" to get the job

Ms Douglas has been at the station for 18 years and will take over from Jim Moir, who became controller in 1996.

He is credited with steering Radio 2 past sister station Radio 1 in the ratings, taking it to 13 million listeners per week.

Ms Douglas, 40, said: "There can't be a better job in broadcasting."

She is absolutely the right person to take the network forward Jenny Abramsky Director of BBC radio and music The Radio 2 revolution

It was "a huge responsibility but immensely exciting", she said.

"Radio 2 is a wonderful station that is passionate about its listeners and music and I'm glad that I've been involved in its evolution over the past few years."

Radio 2's weekly audience became the largest in the country in 2001, and it boasts a presenting line-up including Terry Wogan, Steve Wright and Jonathan Ross.

In a speech in April, widely seen as setting out her agenda for the job, she said: "It is up to us to encourage risks and to face the future with confidence and daring.

"We are here to stretch the boundaries - and to develop new formats and support new music," she said.

The station would play more album tracks, she said, urging the music industry to rely less on singles.

Jonathan Ross was brought to the station in 1999

But she added: "Radio 2 will remain focussed on its public service commitment and continue to pursue excellence, range and diversity."

Ms Douglas will take the helm at the start of 2004 and will also take charge of digital station 6 Music.

The BBC's director of radio and music, Jenny Abramsky, said Ms Douglas was "absolutely the right person" to take the stations forward.

"Lesley Douglas has played a major role working alongside Jim Moir in making Radio 2 the phenomenal success it is today," she said.

Ms Abramsky praised her for "cherishing" the station's combination of music, current affairs, comedy, arts and religion.

Ratings rise

Ms Douglas, who was born in Newcastle, joined the BBC as a production assistant before moving to the David Jacobs show in 1985.

In the late 1980s, she worked with presenters like Gloria Hunniford and Ken Bruce before moving up through a series of senior roles at the station.

Radio 2's weekly audience hovered around the nine million mark for much of the 1990s, but began to rise at the end of the decade and has been expanding ever since.