The BBC confirmed over the weekend that Zane Lowe’s 12-year Radio 1 career will come to an end next month as the Radio DJ moves stateside to take up a new position at tech giant Apple.

Annie Mac will now replace Lowe’s show, who is expected to head-up Apple’s new revamped streaming service alongside Beats Audio.

Announcing his departure, Lowe 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.”

Confirming the news over the weekend via a statement, Radio 1 controller Ben Cooper said: “Annie has proven she is a great ambassador for new music, and I’m delighted that she’s bringing her passion and knowledge to young audiences across the week. I’d like to thank Zane for 12 wonderful years at Radio 1, and wish him and his family all the very best.”

It’s thought that as music streaming services become more human curated, Lowe will be at the forefront of Apple’s attempt to wrestle some market share away from Spotify.