Zoe Ball announced she’d be leaving her Saturday afternoon slot on BBC Radio 2, just months after returning to the station after quitting the breakfast show a year ago
Zoe Ball’s dad, Johnny, has commented on his daughter’s “wrong decision” to quit her Radio 2 show for her daughter. The 87-year-old, who was known as a prominent kids’ TV presenter, spoke following Zoe’s shock decision to step back from her Saturday afternoon show on the BBC.
Speaking on Saturday, the 55-year-old told Radio 2 listeners: “I have loved being betwixt my dear friends Romesh (Ranganathan) and Rylan (Clark), and you know, I love you all to bits, but I’m not disappearing completely.
“Obviously, it’ll be Christmas Crooners, and I’m doing an eras show in the new year, more on that later. But I am thrilled to tell you that you will be in the safest of hands, because there is a superwoman who is no stranger to you all, but this does mean that she will officially become a member of the Radio 2 family.
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“You’ll have loved her on The Voice, The Circle, Big Brother, Cooking With The Stars, Love Is blind, and delivering babies, she’s a gorgeous lass, so welcome to the BBC Radio 2 family and Saturday afternoons, Emma Willis.”
Her dad, Johnny, who recently opened up about his prostate cancer diagnosis, explained why she left her morning show in December last year. He told the Sun: “Zoe stood down from the breakfast show, so she could see more of her 16-year-old daughter.
“You only have a couple of years, and she’s off to university and gone. Zoe didn’t realise you don’t see anything with 16-year-old daughters anyway, because they’re always out so she realises it was perhaps the wrong decision. But, she’s happy she did it, and now she’s got a totally new lease of life. Her career’s fine.”
Zoe left the breakfast show in December last year, six years after becoming the voice of Radio 2’s early morning output. She returned to the station around five months later, taking the more laid-back Saturday afternoon spot, between 1pm and 3pm.
At the time, Zoe said she wanted to “focus on her family”, and leave behind the “very early mornings” – she joked that her 4am alarm had taken its toll on her. The news followed a series of other issues, including the death of her mother, Julia, in April 2024.
Zoe has also been open about her temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ) diagnosis, which causes her to suffer from headaches. She was the second-highest-earning BBC star in 2023/2024, just behind Gary Lineker. She took home just less than £1,000,000 for the year, making her the top-paid female presenter.
Commenting on Zoe’s departure, Helen Thomas, Head of Radio 2, added: “Emma is one of the UK’s most popular broadcasters, so I’m thrilled that she’s joining the all-star Radio 2 family of presenters.
“I’m certain that our loyal listeners will welcome her with open arms. I can’t wait to hear Emma’s new show as a part of our Superstar Saturday weekend schedule, which features Tony Blackburn, Dermot O’Leary, Romesh Ranganathan, Rylan, Liza Tarbuck, Gary Davies and Fearne Cotton.”
Source: Mirror
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