After winning an award as music broadcaster of the year at the Radio Academy Awards in 2014, Radio 1 host Zane Lowe has announced he is leaving the BBC after more than a decade with the company. Lowe, who has interviewed rappers like Kanye West, Eminem, and Jay Z during that time, will move to Apple to fill a yet-to-be-announced position.
In addition to his work at Radio 1, Lowe has served as a music producer for years and recently received a Grammy nomination for his writing and production on Sam Smith’s debut album, In the Lonely Hour.
While he has yet to announce his next position himself, Lowe’s move to Apple will find him working on the company’s new iTunes Radio service, according to The Guardian. Apple is rumored to be “working toward a revamp of the Beats Music subscription streaming service it acquired last year,” according to Mac Rumors and is reportedly hoping to fold “Beats into the iTunes brand and [integrate] it with OS X and iOS.” iTunes Radio launched in the United States late in 2013 and has yet to expand past Australia despite rumors of an international rollout planned for last year.
Addressing his departure in a statement, Lowe thanked BBC for the opportunity and dropped a hint about his next steps.
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“I want to thank everyone at Radio 1 – for their support and friendship,” he said. “The station has allowed me to share incredible music with the country’s best music fans. I’ve loved every minute of it. Exciting times lie ahead.”
Lowe will be replaced by fellow Radio 1 host Annie Mac and his last broadcast will take place on March 5.
