Mark Bryford has said that is he leaving Winchester Cathedral with 'deep disappointment' after resigning.
The former deputy director-general of the BBC confirmed that he has stood down from his role as the senior non-executive member of Winchester Cathedral Chapter on Wednesday, June 19.
Mr Byford said: "As a matter of both deep reluctance and deep disappointment, I have decided I should stand down as the Senior Non-Executive Member of Chapter at Winchester Cathedral.
"I have given a great deal of thought, and, indeed, prayer in relation to this move recently."
He continued: "Unfortunately, and with great sadness, I have come to the conclusion that it is in the best interests of the Cathedral, myself and associated relationships within Chapter, that I take this course of action.
"I will not be making any further comment at this time and I would be grateful if this can be respected at such a challenging period both for the Cathedral and myself."
He stands down after seven years in the Chapter, which he joined in 2017.
This comes as The Bishop of Winchester launched an independent review into Winchester Cathedral following the resignation of Mr Byford, and after concerns were raised over the future of music at the cathedral.
A spokesperson for The Bishop of Winchester, Philip Mounstephen, said: “On Tuesday, June 18 the Bishop of Winchester was informed of the resignation of the senior non-executive member of Winchester Cathedral Chapter.
“In the light of that significant development in the Cathedral's governance, the Bishop has decided to commission an independent review, under the terms of the Cathedral's Measure 2021, into the events that have led to this.”
The Dean of Winchester Cathedral has said that it is working to address concerns over the future of music at the cathedral - and has committed to investing £850,000 into improving it.
The Very Reverend Catherine Ogle, Dean of Winchester. said: “We want people to know we’re listening to the concerns expressed around the management of cathedral music, including concerns about the culture. We are actively working on addressing these and will communicate more in the near future.”
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