Zoe Ball is set to make her return to radio with a new weekday show on Greatest Hits Radio, reuniting with several former BBC colleagues. The presenter will host the 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. slot, joining Ken Bruce and Simon Mayo, who also transitioned to the station.
This move marks a new chapter for Ball, 55, after she stepped down from her £520,000-a-year role at BBC Radio 2 in 2024. She cited personal turmoil, including the loss of her mother to pancreatic cancer in April 2024 and struggles with perimenopausal anxiety, as reasons for her departure. Ball explained that the grief and anxiety made it difficult to continue her shows, leading her to take time off to be with her daughter, Nelly, during her GCSEs.
Ball's mother, Julia, died following a battle with cancer. The presenter had previously spoken about the impact of perimenopause, describing it as causing "crippling" anxiety and panic attacks, for which she took a low dose of antidepressants for two years.
Her departure from BBC Radio 2 followed the breakdown of her relationship with Michael Reed in May 2023, and the earlier death of her former partner Billy Yates by suicide in 2017. Ball divorced her ex-husband, DJ Fatboy Slim (Norman Cook), in 2020, after separating in 2016, but they remain on good terms.
Nelly, now 16, has recently moved out to live with her father, prompting Ball to reconsider her priorities. She noted that her new show's timing allows her to balance work with family life. "It's a lovely shift, Jo. It's one till four, which is great because it means I get to be mum in the morning and mum in the evening if I need to," she stated.
Ball also expressed her interest in hosting Strictly Come Dancing, but ultimately did not get the role. She described working through the "seven stages of grief and rejection" after missing out on the opportunity, which was awarded to others. She acknowledged that career transitions are a natural part of the entertainment industry.
In addition to her career changes, Ball has recently begun a relationship with BAFTA-winning production designer Mathieu Weekes. The couple met while he was designing the set for a talent show she presented in 2023. Ball's show, Zoe Ball in the Afternoon, airs weekdays on Greatest Hits Radio.