Zoe Ball has explained why she decided to leave BBC Radio 2, with the presenter and broadcaster explaining that it was a “hard” choice that ultimately came at the “right time” in her life.
The star, who has also appeared on Strictly Come Dancing and spin-off series It Takes Two, made the decision to leave the station in November 2024. She had presented The Breakfast Show for six years prior to her exit.
At the time, Ball said that her stint on the station had been a “privilege”, but that she was looking forward to a “new chapter” in her career. She returned to BBC Radio 2 in May 2025 for a new show, but left again in December of that year.
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Speaking to RadioTimes, the broadcaster shared that she decided to step down from The Breakfast Show partly due to matters in her personal life, with her mother passing away in April 2024.
“Leaving the breakfast show was hard because I loved it, but it just felt like the right time,” she said. “When Mum got sick, it was such a shock because she felt very young for her years. She was 75 and was so active, so much fun and lived a busy, healthy life.
“But we lost her in 12 weeks. It took the wind out of all of us. There are just these curveballs in life that really make you stop, think ‘okay, what’s important?’ and [put] everything into perspective. I probably would have stayed longer but you never know where life is going.”
Following her departure from the second show on BBC Radio 2, Ball has landed a new project with Greatest Hits Radio, with the presenter set to begin hosting the station’s afternoon show on Monday (7 September).
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She continues to host the Dig It podcast alongside Jo Whiley and recently revealed that she had attempted to land the coveted role of Strictly host following the departures of Tess Daly and Claudia WInkleman.
That role eventually went to Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe, with Ball sharing that she was going through the “seven stages of grief” after being rejected for the hosting gig.
Zoe Ball in the Afternoon begins on Monday 7 September.
Reporter, Digital Spy George is a freelance writer who specialises in Movies and TV. After graduating with a degree in Film Studies and Journalism from De Montfort University, in which he analysed the early works of Richard Linklater for his dissertation, he wrote for several websites for GRV Media. His film tastes vary from blockbusters like Mission: Impossible and John Wick to international directors such as Paolo Sorrentino and Hirokazu Kore-eda, and has attended both the London and Berlin film festivals.