Zoe Ball to step down as presenter of the BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show

After an amazing six years on the Radio 2 Breakfast Show, I've decided to move on from the early mornings and concentrate on my family. It's been an honor to be a part of this. I truly appreciate all of you listeners, and I'm thankful to my bosses for their backing, particularly this year. A big shoutout to my fantastic team—Tina, Mike, and Richie—and, of course, to all our listeners, with whom I've experienced many ups and downs, sharing both joyful and silly moments.

Zoe Ball revealed live this morning on Radio 2 and BBC Sounds that she will be leaving her role as host of the weekday Radio 2 Breakfast Show in December. She will continue to be part of the station, with more details to come shortly.

Zoe expressed, “After six amazing years hosting the Radio 2 Breakfast Show, I've decided it's time to move on from those early mornings and prioritize my family. It's been an honor to be a part of this experience. I truly appreciate all of you listeners, and I'm thankful to my employers for their support, particularly this year. A big shoutout goes to my fantastic team on the show—Tina, Mike, and Richie—as well as our listeners, with whom I've experienced both joyful and challenging moments, along with plenty of silly times.”

I’ll be wrapping up my final show on Friday, December 20, just in time for the festive season filled with joy and excitement. Although I'm moving on from the Breakfast Show, I won’t be gone for good – I’ll still be with the Radio 2 family, and I'll share more updates in the New Year. I’m looking forward to this new phase of my life, especially becoming a mum in the mornings, and I can't wait to catch my favorite shows during the school run!

Helen Thomas, the Head of Radio 2, expressed: "Since January 2019, Zoe has energized the nation on Radio 2 with her amazing warmth, humor, and enthusiasm. I want to extend my gratitude to her for bringing the same passion to every show as if it were brand new. I’m excited that she will continue to be a key member of the Radio 2 team."

The identity of the new host for the Radio 2 Breakfast Show will be revealed during today’s broadcast, prior to 9:30 AM.

Zoe began her journey with BBC Radio in October 1997, teaming up with Kevin Greening as the co-host of the Radio 1 Breakfast Show. She took over solo hosting from October 1998 until March 2000, becoming the first woman to achieve this role.

Zoe began her journey with Radio 2 in 2006, where she hosted a variety of documentaries and programs. From 2009 to 2012, she was the voice of the Saturday morning breakfast show. In 2017, she returned to Radio 2 to take on the Saturday afternoon slot from 3 to 6 PM. In 2018, she completed the Hardest Ride Home Challenge for Sport Relief, cycling from her birthplace, Blackpool, to her cherished hometown of Brighton over five days, successfully raising more than £1.1 million for the cause. In January 2019, Zoe made history as the first woman to host the Radio 2 Breakfast Show, succeeding Chris Evans. Throughout her time at Radio 2, she has interviewed some of the biggest names in entertainment, including Sir Michael Caine, Daniel Craig, Dame Judi Dench, Idris Elba, Hugh Grant, Chris Hemsworth, and Kylie Minogue.

BBC Radio 2 holds the title of the most popular radio station in the UK, attracting a weekly audience of 13.3 million listeners (according to RAJAR Q3, 2024). The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show stands out as the UK’s top breakfast program, drawing in 6.3 million listeners (RAJAR Q3, 2024). Vernon Kay takes the lead as the host of the UK's largest radio show, airing Monday to Friday from 9:30 AM to 12 PM. The station features a diverse lineup of presenters, including Michael Ball, Zoe Ball, Rob Beckett, Tony Blackburn, OJ Borg, Reverend Kate Bottley, Rylan, Fearne Cotton, Sara Cox, Jamie Cullum, Gary Davies, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Paul Gambaccini, Mark Goodier, Angela Griffin, Bob Harris, Shaun Keaveny, Cerys Matthews, Paddy McGuinness, Scott Mills, Jason Mohammad, Trevor Nelson, Dermot O’Leary, Elaine Paige, Mark Radcliffe, Romesh Ranganathan, DJ Spoony, Liza Tarbuck, Jeremy Vine, Michelle Visage, Jo Whiley, Phil Williams, and Owain Wyn Evans.

During the 2024 Audio and Radio Industry Awards, commonly referred to as the ARIAs, Scott Mills took home the Gold award for the Best Music Entertainment Show. The 21st Century Folk program also received Gold for Best Music Special, while Windrush 75 was awarded Gold for Best Coverage of an Event. In addition, The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show secured a Bronze for Best Music Breakfast Show. Furthermore, Cerys Matthews was honored with the Best Blues Broadcaster Award for the third consecutive time at the UK Blues Awards and was inducted into the UK Blues Hall of Fame.