I've now been the Controller of BBC Three for just over a year and my plans are taking a firm shape. It's been an amazing year in which we won two BAFTAs (for factual and drama series) and have just co-hosted the London Olympics out of which we are launching our biggest ever Autumn season. In a session earlier today I was interviewed about the year so far and my vision for the channel.

For me, BBC Three should have a creative or social purpose in everything that we do. Creatively we are a channel that should take risks, our mantra at BBC Three is that we are never afraid to try new things. Myself and the team are working hard to ensure we try to fulfil that promise in our programming, our online and social media offerings, as well as in our marketing and promotions. It is a mantra that informs everything we do on the channel.

Joining our outstanding comedy and entertainment shows is a raft of gripping, relevant factual programming like Tourettes: Let Me Entertain You and Unsafe Sex In The City. We have confirmed our on-going commitment to important factual seasons with The Body Beautiful coming up before the end of the year.

In addition to our current Autumn launch which is airing right now, I have today announced a host of new shows for the channel. Key among these is a brand new drama for next year on BBC Three called In The Flesh from Dominic Mitchell and BBC Drama North. It goes where no Zombie drama has gone before - the re-integration of Zombies into society.

In comedy we have announced that we are giving real life sketch show Boom Town a series run along with re-commissions for hot new sit-com Bad Education and our new comedy talent vehicle, Live At The Electric.

I have also confirmed a major factual season on Birthing Britain for early next year with two new series - Dads In the Delivery Room (w/t) and New Kids On The Block (w/t) joining four brand new one-off documentaries. Following on from the award-winning documentary Poor Kids, BBC Three has commissioned a new two-part documentary focusing on Poor Teens which will air later this Autumn. We have also ordered a one-off personal investigation into Multiple Sclerosis by Jack Osbourne who has recently been diagnosed with this destructive condition.

We have also started to achieve one of my key aims which is to form a family of talent that people recognise as being from BBC Three, with emerging stars like Stacey Dooley, Cherry Healey, Russell Kane and Greg James joining more established names like Reggie Yates and Russell Howard on the channel. But I also want BBC Three to be always working with new talent, writers and directors. We have initiatives in Comedy and Factual to facilitate this.

In Comedy, under the Feed My Funny banner, we invest in short and long-form pieces across the year, helping new comedians hone their skills and start to get serious exposure. In factual we run a scheme called Fresh which gives new directors a chance to make their first full TV films for BBC Three which will then air in prime-time on the channel. New talent is the lifeblood of BBC Three and these initiatives ensure we have a healthy supply line for the future.

It's been a busy year running a channel which is the most-watched digital channel for the hours it's on, as well as being the most popular for young audiences in the UK. It's a huge responsibility looking after any channel, particularly a BBC one, and I hope it will also continue to be a fun experience and our viewers will continue to value our high-quality programming.

Zai Bennett is Controller of BBC Three

For me, BBC Three should have a creative or social purpose in everything that we do. Creatively we are a channel that should take risks. These risks can give new faces their break both on and off screen, help break new formats and investigate areas the more mainstream channels shy away from. On screen, I want to work with new talent in comedy, entertainment and drama and give them a chance to work in TV, often for the first time, but also to help develop people into household names. BBC Three has helped bring some outstanding comedy talents to the publics attention like Ruth Jones and James Corden in Gavin and Stacey, Matt Lucas and David Walliams in Little Britain and the amazing Mighty Boosh. I also want to give established artists a chance to try something new - and that's why I'm announcing today that Billie Piper is starting in a new comedy for us for next year called Tom and Jenny. We have already announced two other new comedies for early next year, Pramface and Life Story with Sharon Horgan. The video includes previews of these programmes along with our new drama for this autumn from Jack Thorne - The Fades.

Off-screen, I want to work with new writers and directors, especially in factual where we run a scheme called Fresh (more information on the BBC Commissioning web site) which gives new directors a chance to make their first full TV films. Here are a few more details on the scheme and some information on other shows we are making for the channel:

In terms of social purpose, BBC Three is dedicated to the highest quality factual programming specifically made for our youthful audience. Our factual programming should inform and educate, but in gripping, relevant and sometimes entertaining ways. We want to encourage debate and really look at the issues facing young people. Today I am announcing that through the autumn and winter our documentaries and factual programming will be scheduled every Monday night at 9pm so our audience knows every week where they can see high quality, intelligent, issue-led programming.

Its been a busy five months running a channel which is now the most watched digital channel for the hours it's on as well as being the most popular for young audiences. It's a huge responsibility looking after any channel, but particularly a BBC one, I hope it will also continue to be a very fun experience.

Zai Bennett is Controller of BBC Three

• The Media Guardian Edinburgh International TV Festival starts today and goes on all weekend. Details on the official web site. Follow @edinburghtvfest on Twitter.
• The Guardian has a special page for news from the festival.
• There's also a special page on the BBC Press Office web site for announcements from the Festival.