Parfitt toleave Radio 1

[JasonB]

Andy Parfitt is to step down as controller of BBC Radio 1 at the end of the month after 13 years at the helm.

He will be replaced temporarily by deputy controller of BBC Radio 1 & 1Xtra, Ben Cooper who will become acting controller BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra.

Parfitt said he was proud to have held the position at the company and said he was leaving all three stations in good shape. “I'm most proud of the incredible teams I'm leaving behind – a group of talented, hardworking, creative and inspirational people who are a credit to the BBC,” he added.

Parfitt was expected to continue to work part time for BBC Radio and will also take up a part time advisory role at Comic Relief.

Parfitt was appointed controller in March 1998 and took Radio 1 and 1Xtra to record audience figures. BBC aduio and music Tim Davie described Parfitt as an inspirational leader within the BBC and a highly respected person across the whole of the radio industry.

Under his stewardship Parfitt introduced Radio 1's Big Weekend - now the UK's biggest free ticketed music festival – and in 2002, oversaw the conception and launch of BBC Radio 1Xtra.

During his time at the BBC he also worked on the development and implementation of BBC Switch – a range of content for 12- to 17-year-olds which was delivered across multiple platforms (TV, radio and online) between 2007 and 2010, as part of the BBC's Creative Future Strategy.

Parfitt joined Radio 1 as chief assistant to the Controller in 1993, after being an integral part of the launch team for Radio 5 Live. He initially joined the BBC as a studio manager in 1979, then he took up a British Forces Broadcasting Services secondment in the Falkland Islands, before moving on to become a producer in BBC Education, then to Radio 4 where he also presented on air.

[Max Kane]

Read this the other day - guess it depends who takes over (and current listener trends) but I imagine we could see quite a shake up