Zoe Ball steps down from BBC Radio 2 breakfast show after 6 years as replacement revealed
ZOE Ball is stepping down from her BBC Radio 2 breakfast show after six years to “focus on family”.
Ball’s last show will be on Friday, December 20 – with “plenty of fun and shenanigans planned” ahead of Christmas.
The 53-year-old announced her departure on her breakfast show this morning.
But Zoe said she will remain on BBC Radio 2 – teasing an announcement in the new year.
Zoe said: “After six incredible years on the Radio 2 Breakfast Show, it’s time for me to step away from the very early mornings and focus on family.”
Telling her listeners about her decision, she said: “I’ve decided it’s time to step away from the early alarm call and start a new chapter.
“We’ve shared a hell of a lot, the good times, the tough times, there’s been a lot of laughter. And I am going to miss you cats.”
She added she would also miss her colleagues, saying they were “like family to me”.
The early morning presenter added: “But I won’t miss the 4am alarm call, if I’m completely honest.
“You know I love you all to bits.”
Ball then revealed her replacement host later in the programme as former Radio 1 DJ Scott Mills.
The pair reminisced about how they first met after Zoe announced Scott as her replacement, with Scott saying she’d done him “the biggest favour of [his] career.”
Zoe said: “I cannot think of someone better to do this,” as she raved about her friend Scott’s presenter talents.
Mills said: “Zoe and I have been such good friends now for over 25 years and have spent much of that time as part of the same radio family here at Radio 2 and also on Radio 1.
“She’s done an incredible job on this show over the past six years, and I am beyond excited to be handed the baton.”
He continued: “It feels ever since recording my first shows as a kid for an audience of one, my mum, all roads since have led to this amazing opportunity.
“It really is a lifelong dream come true to follow in the footsteps of Sir Terry, Chris and Zoe to be the new presenter of the Radio 2 Breakfast Show.”
Zoe herself has given her full support to Scott, hailing him as a “close friend for years” and saying she’s “beyond thrilled” he’s taking over his spot as it’s “always been his dream”.
Zoe’s last public appearance came as she covered Children in Need in Glasgow.
The broadcaster mysteriously “vanished” from her Breakfast show for six weeks over the summer.
During that time, fellow radio hosts Scott Mills and Gabby Roslin filled in with her.
In July she was listed as the BBC’s second-highest earning star, behind Gary Lineker.
Radio 2 host Zoe’s salary fell in the bracket £950,000 – £954,999, down from £980,000 – £984,999 last year.
It came after Zoe’s son Woody candidly opened up as to her whereabouts.
Over the weekend, it was also revealed how the DJ had traded in life in her £2million Sussex mansion to move near to her ex Fatboy Slim, real name Norman Cook, in Brighton and Hove.
Zoe Ball's career so far
Zoe was born in Blackpool and is daughter of the children’s TV presenter Johnny Ball and his wife Julia.
She appeared on television at a young age as part of the studio audience of the Saturday morning children’s show, Saturday Superstore when her father was a guest.
The star began her career in broadcasting as a presenter on the pre-school programme Playdays.
After various behind the scenes roles, she earned a spot as a regular host of Top of the Pops, when she alternated with the likes of Jayne Middlemiss and Jo Whiley.
In 1996, she was chosen to front BBC One‘s saturday morning show Live & Kicking, which led to stints on The Big Breakfast on Channel 4.
But she maintained a huge presence on the radio as she was chosen to be the co-host of BBC Radio 1 Breakfast alongside Kevin Greening in October 1997.
Zoe was later appointed the sole host of the show in a groundbreaking move by the corporation as she was the first female DJ to hold the post.
The presenter chose to leave the station in March 2000 to start a family, where she was succeeded by Sara Cox.
As a mainstream face in TV through the noughties, she hosted a range of huge programmes for ITV, including the Brit Awards in 2002, Extinct in 2006, and both Soapstar Superstar and Grease Is The Word in 2007.
In mid-2002, she returned to radio when she joined Xfm (later known as Radio X), when she was the voice of the weekday drivetime show until December 2003. In 2004, she stood in for Ricky Gervais while he filmed the second series of The Office.
In October 2005, she appeared as a contestant on the third series of Strictly Come Dancing, where she was partnered with Ian Waite, The star impressed viewers with her footwork and the duo waltzed into third place.
In 2011, she returned to the franchise as she took over as the host of the magazine spin-off show, It Takes Two.
She also filled in for Claudia Winkleman on the main show in 2014, when The Traitors star took leave after her daughter suffered serious burn injuries.
After 10 years fronting the show, Zoe announced she was quitting her role on BBC Two in May 2021.
Zoe’s journey in BBC Radio 2 started in 2006 when she fronted specialist documentaries. Over the years she sat in for names such as Dermot O’Leary, Ken Bruce and Chris Evans.
After several shake-ups, she returned to the station on a permanent basis when she took over Dermot’s Saturday afternoon slot between 3pm and 6pm.
In October 2018, Chris Evans moved to Virgin Radio and he personally announced that Zoe would take over his popular slot. She started presenting the breakfast show on 14 January 2019.