Zane Lowe has described BBC Radio 1 as “the best place I’ve ever worked” while opening up about what his new role at Apple will involve.

It was announced on Sunday (February 15) that Lowe will leave the station after 12 years as he moves to America to take up an unspecified role with tech giants Apple.

Speaking to The Guardian about his departure this March, Lowe revealed a sense of nervousness. “It’s not easy being faced with the prospect of leaving somewhere as amazing as the BBC,” he said. “It’s about the best place I’ve ever worked in my life. And it’s got the most inspiring people, who do things for all the right reasons – because they love it, they feel proud to do it there, they feel honoured at the privilege of being able to do it for the people, and they take that responsibility very seriously. And you don’t leave. You just don’t.”

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However, he spoke more excitedly about what the future with Apple holds. He revealed: “It’s about being able to get great music to an audience on a global level. I know that there is an opportunity to come out here and to build something that will reach parts of the world that I’ve never reached before.”

Lowe has hosted the night-time show, which is broadcast Monday to Thursday 7-9pm, since 2003. Annie Mac, once a broadcast assistant to Lowe, will replace him on his weekday evening show.