The departure of Jim Waterson to the Guardian means Buzzfeed are looking for a new political editor. It’s a sweet gig: you get free pizza and beer on Fridays and only have to file once every couple of weeks. As ever MediaGuido brings you your runners and riders…

• Emily Ashton, Buzzfeed: An internal hire is most likely as Lobby colleagues will not exactly have been convinced that the future is at American websites who promise to take over the world and then fire everyone. Ashton is a proper hack and chairman of the Lobby. Good bet.
• Alex Spence, Buzzfeed: The other surviving member of the Buzzfeed politics team, scourge of Tory MPs with mildly embarrassing social media accounts. Short odds.
• Alberto Nardelli, Buzzfeed: That scoop on the Brexit impact assessments came at a good time for him. Well-connected in the Cabinet Office.
• Mark Di Stefano, Buzzfeed: The site’s former Australia pol ed moved over to be UK media correspondent as part of the recent Antipodean takeover. Funny on Twitter but limited knowledge of Westminster prior to six months ago.

And your external candidates:

• Katy Balls, Spectator: Mr Steerpike can do the gossip, can do the politics and has the right chat for the Buzzfeed readership. But are they too base for her?
• Mikey Smith, Mirror: Proficient in gifs and memes. Probably too old for the job.
• Sebastian Payne, FT: Millennial, tick. Has Twitter, tick. Strong Insta game an added bonus. 
• Harry Cole, The Sun: Experience running Westminster’s best online news operation for five years. Likes cats.
• Matt Chorley, Little Read Box: Why limit those LOLs to an email when you can join Buzzfeed and just tweet them out? Chorley’s inner milennial could shine…
• Steve Walker, Skwawkbox: Buzzfeed are in awe of his virality. Time for him to join the MSM?
• Matt Turner, Evolve Politics: Matt isn’t really a die-hard Corbynista, he only pretends because he couldn’t find any other way into journalism. Has a Lobby pass now, but surely he craves the real respectability only Buzzfeed can offer? 
• Owen Bennett, HuffPo: Should probably “keep his f***ing nose out of this”. If last week’s events are anything to go by…

Good luck…

UPDATE: Ladrbokes have opened a book…

Here we go (h/t to @MediaGuido for a few ideas) pic.twitter.com/J8RlSWdafe

— Ladbrokes Politics (@LadPolitics) February 19, 2018