BBC Radio 2 presenter Zoe Ball has announced she is stepping down from her breakfast show to focus on her family. She has announced that her “dear friend” Scott Mills is taking over.
Radio host Ball will step down from her position in December. She has been on air for radio two for six years after taking on the baton from Chris Evans in 2019.
She broke the news on air saying: “Iāve decided itās 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 youā¦”
In an official statement, she said: “After six incredible years on the Radio 2 Breakfast Show, itās time for me to step away from the very early mornings and focus on family. Itās been a privilege. I think the world of you listeners and Iām grateful to my bosses here for their support, especially this year.”
Scott Mills is replacing Zoe Ball
Ball introduced the new radio host as her close friend Mills, also the winner of Celebrity Race Across the World. She teased: “He’s a dear friend of mine, I can tell you we first met back in the 90s he was a total baby face, I was a bit older than him. We did the Strictly Come Dancing tour together. I got to see him marry the love of his life. He’s had quite the year.”
She added: “Scott and I go way back to our Radio 1 days, when he was doing early mornings before me. Heās been a close friend for years, and Iām beyond thrilled itās him taking over the Breakfast Show.
“Breakfast has always been his dream, and what a year heās had ā from racing around the world to his beautiful wedding to Sam. Heās not only a blooming brilliant producer but one of the best in radio. I canāt wait to tune in on the school run!”
Mills joined Ball on air and they joked about how they were finding it hard to keep it secret. He jested: “I was considering getting a burner phone like in films.”
In a statement, he 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. Sheās done an incredible job on this show over the past six years, and I am beyond excited to be handed the baton.
“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.”
Earlier this year, the Celebrity Race Across the World winner joked on the BBC reality series that he didn’t want to do the breakfast show because it was too early.
Read more: Celebrity Race Across the World winners respond to Ā£72 job controversy
When is Zoe Ball’s last show?
Ball revealed her last show will be “just in time for Christmas” as it will be on 20 December. She said she was excited to embrace mum life with the school run.
She said: “With plenty of fun and shenanigans. While Iām stepping away from the Breakfast Show, Iām not disappearing entirely ā Iāll still be a part of the Radio 2 family, with more news in the New Year.
“Iām excited to embrace my next chapter, including being a mum in the mornings, and I canāt wait to tune in on the school run!”
Helen Thomas, head of Radio 2, had huge praise for Ball. She said: “Zoe has woken up the nation on Radio 2 with incredible warmth, wit and so much joy since January 2019, and Iād like to thank her for approaching each show with as much vim and vigour as if it were her first. Iām thrilled that sheāll remain an important part of the Radio 2 family.”
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