BBC One must do more to attract younger viewers, the controller Charlotte Moore has said, after the average age of the channel's viewers rose to 59.
Moore, the head of BBC One, said it was "very, very important" that the channel attracted more young viewers, to ensure it was relevant to the whole nation.
Three years ago, the BBC pledged to target older viewers, successfully commissioning programmes such as comedy Boomers to suit them.
Speaking at the Edinburgh International Television Festival, Moore addressed BBC Trust findings showing the age of the average viewer has risen from 56 to 59.
"It's very very important that we continue to bring more young viewers," she said, "I want to bring more, we've got to bring more. It's really important.
"It cannot be a channel that disappears, that doesn't become relevant to everybody. It's really important that we're the for the whole nation. "
Moore dismissed allegations the channel is not taking enough risks in its commissioning, pointing out the charge was down in part to "living in an ageing population".
In a separate session, the former controller of BBC Three Zai Bennett accused the corporation of making a "perverse decision" in moving the channel online, suggesting it was no longer serving it's younger audiences.
Calling the decision a "massive strategic mistake", he added the new service – the result of budget cuts – is not "aligned with what its audience requires from the BBC".
