[1] He was the Controller of BBC Radio 1 in the United Kingdom, and held that role from 1998 to 2011, taking over from Matthew Bannister.
This saw a sustained improvement in RAJAR ratings with the station reaching the ten million mark in listenership.
This made him head of all teenage entertainment – with a view of making sure the BBC offers a wider choice to the 11–25 age group.
In July 2007 Parfitt presented a two part series for BBC Radio 4 entitled California Dreaming.
As part of his responsibilities, the Radio 1 controller would also oversee the pan-BBC music event The Electric Proms.
In March 2009, he climbed Mount Kilimanjaro along with Radio 1 presenters Chris Moyles, Fearne Cotton and seven other celebrities for Comic Relief 2009.
[3] In December 2007, Parfitt was criticised for only authorising a cut version of The Pogues "Fairytale of New York", censoring the words 'slut' and 'faggot'.