Zoe Ball is set to return to radio with a new daily show on Greatest Hits Radio, beginning September 7. The 55-year-old presenter will host the afternoon slot, a move she described as an "amazing opportunity" during an appearance on the Dig It Podcast with friend Jo Whiley.
Ball had previously departed BBC Radio 2 in 2024, leaving her coveted Breakfast Show, and later her Saturday afternoon program in 2025. At the time, she cited the need to grieve the loss of her mother to cancer and to support her daughter, Nelly, through her GCSEs.
"I lost mum and I really was like, I want to take some time and I want to go and be there for my girl because I've always worked. I've never been around," Ball explained. "After losing mum, I thought, hang on, no, stop, take some time, be there for your girl during her GCSEs."
With Nelly, now 16, having finished her GCSEs and moved out to live with her father, DJ Fatboy Slim, Ball felt the timing was right to return to her broadcasting career. "She's finished her GCSEs now and she's loving her freedom," Ball noted, adding that her new 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. show allows her to balance work with family life.
Ball's new show will be positioned between two former BBC Radio 2 colleagues, Ken Bruce and Simon Mayo. "I'm following my wonderful friend Ken Bruce and then I'm going into my mate Simon Mayo," she said, expressing enthusiasm for playing music from the 70s, 80s, and 90s on the new station. She acknowledged feeling like "the new girl" after nearly two decades at Radio 2, admitting to some nerves about the transition.
Ball also spoke about the difficulties she faced during her time at the BBC, including managing "crippling" anxiety related to perimenopause alongside her grief. She described experiencing panic attacks and noted that she was on antidepressants for two years, under medical supervision, to cope with these challenges. She has since come off the medication. Ball expressed gratitude to Helen Thomas, Head of Radio 2, for her support during her tenure and exit from the BBC.
Prior to her departure, Ball was one of the BBC's highest-paid female stars, earning an annual salary of £950,000. Her decision to leave the Breakfast Show came after a brief return following her mother's death. She then moved to the Saturday afternoon slot, which she also left less than a year later.