 In 1997, Root became the head of the BBC's Independent Commissioning Group, a new department tasked with finding 25% of the BBC's output from the independent production sector.The group – which dealt with drama, entertainment and factual – was responsible for hits like "The Naked Chef", and Root was dubbed the "high priestess of lifestyle television" after she championed Jamie Oliver.In 1999, she became Controller for BBC Two, running the UK's 3rd largest network, and was the first woman controller of a BBC television channel.