Yielding at Yalding

We've been hinting at it for some time, but now it's happened. BBC Radio 1 controller Andy Parfitt, 52, is leaving the BBC, after a lifetime with the organisation. He'll get a little boost - advising on Comic Relief and leadership development - til the pension kicks in, but that, with 32 years unbroken service and little topping up, could be worth £150k pa.

Tim Davie says he will be replaced - ignoring a potential restructure suggested here and by the Myers report - and, again, as expected Ben Cooper, the current deputy of Radio 1 and 1Xtra, will become acting controller.  Bob Shennan, Controller Radio 2 and 6Music is being asked to "mind" the roles of Controller, Popular Music and The Asian Network.  

Andy started out from theatre school and stage management in Bristol, before joining the BBC in 1979 as a studio manager. Spells with BFBS in the Falklands, Education, Radio 4 and the original Radio 5 were followed by appointment as chief assistant to Controller Radio 1 Matthew Bannister in 1993. In 1998 Bannister moved up to Director of Radio, and, having cleared the Augean stables of Bates, DLT, Gary Davies, Bruno Brookes and more, left Parfitt in charge to rebuild.

The legacy ?  A solid performance for Radio 1 reach, especially as it now faces more national competitors. A question-mark from the Trust about attracting the young audience.  A roster that's looking less groovy than Andy might like - Chris Moyles contracted to January 2014, followed by Fearne Cotton, Greg James and Scott Mills.

Chart from MediaUK

In other roles, Andy's "yoof" concept, Switch, looks likely to bite the dust in DQF cuts; the budgets for 1 and 1Xtra also look under some threat; the Asian Network has a reprieve, but needs a new minder, who will build the staff's confidence.

As well as Andy, many are worried about the future career of @andyfakeparfitt who's been channelling the Parf Daddy on Twitter