Efa Gruffudd Jones has resigned as Welsh language commissioner for "personal reasons", according to the Welsh government.

In a statement, First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth said he had accepted her resignation and "I thank her for all her work".

Gruffudd Jones was appointed at the end of 2022, taking up the post in January 2023 as successor to the late Aled Roberts.

At the time she described the job as a "privilege", adding that her wish was to "see a Wales where people can enjoy using the Welsh language every day".

Originally from Morriston, Swansea, Gruffudd Jones served as chief executive of both the National Centre for Learning Welsh and the Urdd, prior to becoming commissioner.

In the Welsh government statement, ap Iorwerth said that "a full public appointments process will now be undertaken to appoint a new commissioner".

Until this week, Osian Llywelyn was deputy commissioner.

However the statement says that Lowri Williams has now been appointed to that role, in one of Gruffudd Jones' last acts as commissioner, and will "exercise the functions of the commissioner until the appointment process concludes".

The BBC asked the commissioner's office whether Llywelyn had resigned.

It declined to comment at that point but Llywelyn is listed on the commissioner's website as director of regulation.

Later on Tuesday, a spokesperson for the Welsh language commissioner's office said: "Following the resignation of Efa Gruffudd Jones, Lowri Williams has been appointed as Deputy Welsh Language Commissioner to ensure the continuity of the commissioner's work until a new commissioner is appointed.

"Osian Llywelyn remains employed by the Welsh Language Commissioner as Director of Regulation."

The office of the commissioner was established by the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011.

According to the website, the role's aim is to "promote and facilitate the use of the Welsh language", with the stated ambition that Wales should be "a country where people can live their lives in Welsh".