Why is Zoe Ball leaving the Radio 2 Breakfast Show today?

Today marks a huge moment in BBC Radio history, as its first-ever female breakfast show presenter, Zoe Ball, signs off for the final time.

For the past six years, Zoe has set her alarm for 4am to present her early morning programme at the station.

Sadly for listeners who have formed a relationship with her over that time, Zoe announced in November that she would be stepping down.

The British DJ, 54, shared the news after a period of unexplained absence, which neither she nor the BBC commented on with details.

Why is Zoe Ball leaving Radio 2?

Upon announcing her decision to hang up the headphones, Zoe cited her loved ones as the reason.

In her statement at the time, the mum-of-two said she would be using the time to ‘focus on family’.

Zoe then told her audience: ‘After six years of fun times alongside you all on the breakfast show, I’ve decided it’s time to step away from the early alarm call and start a new chapter.

‘You know I think the world of you all, listeners, and it truly has been such a privilege to share the mornings with you, to go through life’s little ups and downs, we got through the lockdown together, didn’t we?

‘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.’

Zoe’s took a break from hosting her breakfast show over the summer, returning in September, and in April this year, announced the death of her mother, Julia Peckham.

Also last month, she revealed she wakes up most days with ‘awful headaches’ due to a health condition that causes pain in the jaw joint and surrounding muscles.

She said she had a temporomandibular joint disorder, which affects the movement of the jaw, according to the NHS.

Who is replacing Zoe Ball on Radio 2?

Zoe, the daughter of children’s TV presenter Johnny Ball, took over from Chris Evans almost six years ago in January 2019.

From January, Scott Mills will take over, having joined Radio 1 in 1998 and moved to Radio 2 in 2017.

Scott’s previous weekday slot of 2pm to 4pm will be filled by Trevor Nelson.

Speaking after his new role was confirmed, Scott said he ‘can’t wait’ to wake up with the nation each morning.

Scott added on his own show at the time: ‘If you missed Zoe this morning, she had some big news to share. Safe to say we’re going to miss her massively in a morning, but she 100% deserves a lie-in.

He described it as a ‘huge honour’ to ‘walk in the footsteps of Sir Terry Wogan, Chris Evans, and Zoe.’

‘When I started doing shows in my bedroom just for my mum when I was 8. Or joined hospital radio at 12. Or got my first proper radio show at the age of 16; you just never think that it would ever turn out like this,’ Scott recalled.

‘I’m thrilled. I’m overwhelmed by all the love. I still can’t quite believe it.’

When did Zoe Ball join BBC Radio?

BBC Radio 2 was far from Zoe’s first rodeo, as she previously co-hosted Radio 1 Breakfast from October 1997 with Kevin Greening.

She later became the sole host, making her the first female DJ to do so.

Zoe left BBC Radio 1 in March 2000 and was succeeded by Sara Cox.

Following other radio gigs in between, from 2006, she provided relief presenting duties for BBC Radio 2, which included sitting in for Dermot O’Leary for three weeks.

In 2009, Zoe stepped in for Ken Bruce on his weekday mid-morning show and began hosting the breakfast slot on Saturdays.

Zoe then left Radio 2 for a while in 2012 (her replacement was Anneka Rice) before rejoining in 2018, when she was announced as the new breakfast show host, while Rylan Clark took over her mid-afternoon slot.

Testament to her power and adoration by both BBC bosses and listeners, Zoe was the BBC’s highest-paid on-air female presenter in 2023/24 with a salary between £950,000 and £954,999.

This ranked her second on the list of top-earning talent behind Gary Lineker, according to the corporation’s annual report published in July.

The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show will air for the last time from 6.30am on Friday, December 20.

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