Zoe Ball is returning to broadcasting, taking on a weekday afternoon slot at Greatest Hits Radio, a move that places her alongside former BBC Radio 2 colleagues Ken Bruce and Simon Mayo. Her new show is set to begin on September 7.
Greatest Hits Radio announced Ball's arrival with a trailer styled after the television series 'The Traitors.' In the video, Ball is depicted carrying a lantern and joining Bruce and Mayo, stating, "I couldn't let you two have all the fun, could I?" The station's announcement included the caption: "One more from the old place! Please welcome our newest recruit."
Ball's new role marks her first daily radio program since she departed the BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show approximately two years ago. During the trailer, she also made a 'Traitors'-style commitment to play music exclusively from the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, and to feature Bruce's 'PopMaster' quiz daily. Ball left BBC Radio 2 at the height of her success, having quit the Breakfast Show in 2024 and her Saturday afternoon program a year later.
In a statement regarding her new role, Ball said, "I've missed it and this felt like the right time to begin a new chapter with Greatest Hits Radio." This transition comes after Ball recently shared that she experienced "grief and rejection" after being turned down for a presenting role on 'Strictly Come Dancing.' The positions for 'Strictly Come Dancing' hosts have since been filled by Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe, and Johannes Radebe.
Before her departure from the BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show, Ball was one of the corporation's highest-paid female presenters, earning an annual salary of £950,000. Following an extended break after the death of her mother, Julia, in April 2024, she returned to the show for a brief period before announcing her exit at the end of 2024. She subsequently hosted a Saturday afternoon slot but left that program less than a year later in December 2025.
Ball has spoken about her struggles with "crippling anxiety" and perimenopause symptoms, which coincided with her grief over her mother's death. She noted on the 'Dig It' podcast with Jo Whiley that she began experiencing panic attacks, describing the feeling as "crippling" and admitting reluctance to seek medical advice initially. She also revealed on Instagram that she took a low dose of antidepressants, sertraline, for two years, under doctor's supervision, but is no longer on them.
In related personal news, DJ Fatboy Slim, whose real name is Norman Cook, recently shared that Ball's intervention helped him overcome alcoholism. Cook, who was married to Ball for 17 years, stated that his "wake-up moment" occurred when Ball quietly confronted him about his drinking in 2009, prompting him to enter rehab. He described alcoholism as a "parasite" that protects itself and admitted that becoming sober was one of the hardest things he has done.