Zoe Ball quits BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show after six years as she issues statement
BBC Radio 2 presenter Zoe Ball has announced she is stepping down from her breakfast show after six years. Announcing the news, the 53-year-old presenter, who will leave her show in mid December, said that she is making the decision in order to 'focus on family'.
In an emotional moment on air during her Tuesday (19 November) morning show, Zoe explained: “Ok you lovely bunch, I have some news. 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 focus on family.
"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. I'm going to miss my amazing Prod Squad who I adore. Already missing Mike, I'm going to miss Tina and Richie. They've all become like family to me, like you lot. But I won’t miss the 4am alarm call, if I'm completely honest."
READ MORE: Rumbling I'm A Celeb row 'already brewing' between two stars say fans
READ MORE: Coronation Street legend dies off-screen and their family left devastated
Continuing, Zoe revealed that she is leaving just a week before Christmas, but assured she will still be on Radio 2 in some capacity. She said: "So my last Breakfast show will be with you on the 20th of December and then its high kicks all the way to Christmas, gang. I'm not going to be a stranger, I'm staying in the Radio 2 crew and family because it's an amazing family - as we saw last week with Paddy’s fantastic Children in Need challenge- and I’ll have more news on that in the New Year. I just want to say I’m so grateful to my incredible boss ladies, to Helen and Laura and Lorna and Fiona, they have always been so supportive of me especially in this job and particularly this year, so thank you ladies."
Mum-of-two Zoe added that she will be announcing her successor, who will be taking over the breakfast show, later today.
The news comes after the presenter has had a tough year and took some time away from her show this summer following the death of her mother, Julie Peckham, who was diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer at the beginning of this year.
Back in April, Zoe heartbreakingly announced that she had lost her mum just 12 weeks after her diagnosis with cancer. At the time, she described the family as ‘bereft’ without Julie. The radio DJ took some time away from work, while Gaby Roslin and Scott Mills covered her radio show. Despite briefly returning in August, Zoe took a further month and a half off in extended leave, with stand-in Scott sending his love to her on-air as he stepped in.
