Zoe Ball concludes her tenure as Radio 2 breakfast show host

Zoe Ball concluded her final broadcast of Radio 2’s breakfast show, characterizing her time as its presenter as “an absolute privilege”. The 54-year-old had previously announced her decision to leave in November, stating that following “six incredible years,” she felt it was “time to step away from the very early mornings and focus on family.” During her concluding remarks on Friday, Ball expressed gratitude to all individuals who had contributed to the show since 2019, noting she would miss them “mighty amounts.” She remarked, “It’s been such a gift to do this show… pretty cool to be the first lass to host, and I won’t be the last – remember girls, you can do anything.” She continued, addressing the audience: “To the biggest stars of our breakfast show, the listeners, young and old, and those in the middle, thank you for tuning in, whether as a lone listener, a family, a work gang, on your morning jogs, dog walks, truck drives, train commutes, or hiding in bed, it’s been a real privilege to keep you company through your morning maneuvers.” Ball added, “You’re just there, and I’m just here, having a chat with a mate, it’s such a special, intimate relationship, that is never lost on me.” She reflected, “We’ve been through life’s little highs and lows, and I really do hope we’ve managed to bring some sunshine and light when you’ve most needed it, a daft distraction from the harder stuff.” Ball also stated, “I’ve been bowled over by your messages, texts, emails, cards and letters throughout the years. Thank you for sharing your stories with me.” Ball indicated her return to Radio 2 in the spring, though specifics regarding her upcoming program remain undisclosed. She concluded her address to listeners by saying, “As the song says, you give a little love, and it all comes back to you. Well, I have most definitely felt that love from you listeners. I feel very lucky to have been here. I send buckets of love to you and your dear ones this Christmas.” Ball finished with, “Take care of yourself, lovely peeps, my top cats,” preceding the broadcast of Keeping The Dream Alive by Münchener Freiheit. Throughout the broadcast, notable figures such as Kylie Minogue and David Tennant offered tributes to Ball. In a message recorded in advance, singer Minogue expressed: “Thank you for an incredible six years. The nation loves you and I love you, and every time I’ve been in to see you, it’s been so much fun.” Minogue continued, “We’ve danced around the studio, you, me and your fabulous prod[ucing] squad, shout out to them… it has all happened with you Zoe.” Minogue concluded her message, stating: “Zoe I wish you all the love success and joy and everything you want moving on… we love you.” Ball’s colleagues on air, Mike Williams, Richie Anderson, and Tina Daheley, also extended their tributes. Additional Radio 2 personalities, including Jeremy Vine, Dermot O’Leary, Sara Cox, Jo Whiley, Vernon Kay, Rylan Clark, and Trevor Nelson, conveyed their good wishes. To commence the program on Friday, Ball recited adapted lyrics from “One Day More” from the musical Les Miserables. She stated, “Another day, another destiny, one final show from me, ZB – only joking I’m not going to sing, let’s have some Daft Punk.” Subsequently, she played “One More Time” by the French electronic duo, then read a message from a listener who mentioned driving home early for Christmas specifically to tune into her final broadcast. David Tennant, known for his role in Doctor Who, was another celebrity who offered a tribute via a voice message. The actor commented, “You’ve been so amazing over the last six years, the country is going to miss you.” He added, “[You’re] the best person to have breakfast with. Thank you for letting me come on to your show multiple times and annoy you.” During the “Pause for Thought” segment, Reverend Kate Bottley addressed Ball, saying: “It’s time for you to leave this particular party, and it’s going to take a bit of adjusting for everyone. “But we know you, you’ll just keep sparkling and lighting up the room somewhere else… Thank you for keeping this particular party going, particularly on those days when you didn’t feel like dancing.” Within the program, Ball herself honored former Radio 2 presenter Steve Wright, who passed away in February. She stated, “We miss you, darling man, but your magic is always with us, thank you so much for being an amazing broadcaster and a friend to all of our broadcasters.” Scott Mills is set to succeed Ball, transitioning from his afternoon slot in January. Mills was one of the Radio 2 DJs who submitted messages for Ball’s concluding program. He remarked, “You’re our friend, a friend to all of us, and in the last few years in particular, an arm round the shoulder when we really needed it.” He added, “And you also make it seem really easy, so no pressure!” In addition to the tributes, Ball’s final program included children phoning in to converse with Santa Claus, who was present in the studio alongside her. The previous month, Ball disclosed that she had undergone treatment for TMJ disorder, a jaw condition she described as causing “awful headaches” upon waking. Ball made history as the station’s inaugural full-time female breakfast presenter, succeeding Chris Evans in 2019. She took a six-week hiatus from the program during the summer, following an earlier break in the spring after her mother’s passing. When announcing her departure last month, she stated her intention to remain “in the Radio 2 crew,” with additional information about her future role expected in the New Year. She had pledged that her final broadcast would occur “just in time for Christmas with plenty of fun and shenanigans.” Earlier this week during her show, Ball became emotional as Robbie Williams delivered a surprise heartfelt message. Williams stated, “I just want to say thank you for your services so far to the entertainment world, to BBC Radio 2, to all that have gone before you and who will come after you.” He continued, “But for you in particular, the transformative thing you do and the kindness you exude is important, and has been important and will be important to people’s lives, so congrats to you.” The visibly moved DJ replied, “Robbie, I love you to bits.” Ball also holds the distinction of being the first female host of the Radio 1 breakfast show in 1998, following her co-presentation of the Saturday morning children’s TV program Live & Kicking. Her Radio 2 program is recognized as the most listened-to breakfast show across the UK. However, industry data from Rajar indicates a decrease in her audience from nine million at the start of her tenure to 6.28 million this summer. For the 2023/24 period, she was identified as the BBC’s highest-paid on-air female presenter, with a salary ranging between £950,000 and £954,999, placing her second overall behind the departing Match of the Day host Gary Lineker. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.