Released and built by Acorn Computers, under the auspices of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), de BBC Master was sold as the successor to the BBC Micro Model B. The BBC Master was produced until 1993 when itself was replaced by the Archimedes series.

The Master AIV (short for 'Advanced Interactive Videodisc'), one of the variations of this system, was used for the BBC's 'Domesday Project' during the mid-1980s.

Multiple BBC Master models were made, the first being the Master 128. Later the Master 512, with a 10 MHz Intel 80186 coprocessor and 512 KB memory, was also released. This line of computers also included the smaller Master Compact, the BBC Master Turbo and the earlier mentioned BBC Master AIV.