The corporation already uses HDTV for some of its high-profile shows such as the £3m co-production with HBO 'Rome' and the adaptation of Charles Dickens' novel 'Bleak House'.
The BBC said it will move peaktime drama, documentary and sport to HDTV for the mid-2006 trial. The 2006 World Cup is due to air from July.
HDTV offers viewers a quality of digital TV broadcast four times higher than traditional programmes with enhanced colour and better sound quality.
The service is already popular in the US and Far East. Jana Bennett, director of television at the BBC, said it was time for the UK to raise the bar.
"Our promise to our licence fee payers is to give them the highest quality television, so the time is right for the BBC to get involved in high definition," she said.
Seetha Kumar, who organised BBC events such as the recent 'Africa Lives' season, has been appointed as head of HDTV for the BBC for the year-long trial.
The corporation has set a target to move all production to HDTV by 2010.
As it stands, only viewers on cable and satellite with a HD-ready TV, and a HD set-top box receiver can experience the benefits of high definition TV.
When the analogue signal is switched off from 2008 more viewers will be forced to upgrade their television sets and packages to include HDTV-enabled services.
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