December 20th 2024.
Today marks a pivotal moment in BBC Radio's history as Zoe Ball, the station's first-ever female breakfast show presenter, signs off for the final time. For the past six years, Zoe has been waking up at the crack of dawn, setting her alarm for 4am, to host her early morning programme on BBC Radio 2. However, after much consideration, Zoe announced in November that she would be stepping down from her role.
Zoe, a 54-year-old British DJ, shared the news with her listeners after a period of unexplained absence, which neither she nor the BBC provided details on. In her statement, she cited her loved ones as the reason for her departure, stating that she wanted to focus on her family. She expressed her gratitude to her listeners, saying that it has been a privilege to share the mornings with them, through both the good times and the tough times, including the recent lockdown. She also mentioned how much she will miss her listeners and the laughter they shared.
This summer, Zoe took a break from hosting her breakfast show and returned in September. In April, she also announced the passing of her mother, Julia Peckham. In addition, she revealed last month that she suffers from a health condition that causes severe headaches due to problems with her jaw joint and surrounding muscles.
As Zoe prepares to say goodbye to her morning show, the big question on everyone's mind is, who will be replacing her on BBC Radio 2? After taking over from Chris Evans almost six years ago, Zoe will be passing the torch to Scott Mills in January. Scott, who joined Radio 1 in 1998 and moved to Radio 2 in 2017, will be starting his new role as the breakfast show host. His previous weekday slot of 2pm to 4pm will be filled by Trevor Nelson.
Speaking about his new role, Scott said he is excited to wake up with the nation every morning. He also expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of radio legends such as Sir Terry Wogan, Chris Evans, and Zoe herself. Scott, who has been passionate about radio since he was eight years old, described this new opportunity as a dream come true.
Zoe's journey with BBC Radio 2 began in 1997 when she co-hosted the Radio 1 Breakfast show with Kevin Greening. She later became the sole host of the show, making her the first female DJ to do so. After leaving Radio 1 in 2000, she continued to work in radio and eventually joined BBC Radio 2 in 2006 as a relief presenter. In 2009, she began hosting the mid-morning show and the breakfast slot on Saturdays. She left Radio 2 for a while in 2012 before returning in 2018 as the new breakfast show host, while Rylan Clark took over her mid-afternoon slot.
Zoe's achievements and popularity among BBC bosses and listeners were evident when she became the BBC's highest-paid on-air female presenter in 2023/24 with a salary between £950,000 and £954,999. She ranked second on the list of top-earning talent, just behind Gary Lineker, according to the corporation's annual report published in July.
As we bid farewell to Zoe and her beloved breakfast show, we can't help but wonder what's next for her in her career. But for now, let's tune in to her final show on Friday, December 20 at 6.30am. And who knows, maybe we'll hear her on the radio again soon, as she has proven time and time again that she is a force to be reckoned with in the world of broadcasting.
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