Zoe Ball – who left her BBC Radio 2 breakfast show in December 2024 – is returning to the station this year with a brand new Saturday afternoon show.
Zoe Ball is returning to BBC Radio 2.
The 54-year-old broadcaster hung up her headphones and left her breakfast show on December 20 – is back on the station with a new Saturday afternoon show (1pm-3pm) which starts in May.
Helen Thomas, Head of Radio 2, said: “Zoe is one of the UK’s most loved presenters, so I’m thrilled to announce that she has a new home on Radio 2 on Saturday lunchtimes, plus she’ll be hosting various specials for us throughout the year.”
Zoe – who was replaced by Scott Mills on the Radio 2 Breakfast Show after six years on air – will also host two specials celebrating the career of Elaine Page, including ‘Elaine Paige: 60 Years in Showbusiness’, a world-exclusive concert.
On Friday 25 April, the cream of musical theatre – including Samantha Barks, the recent winner of ‘The Masked Singer’, Mazz Murray, Julian Ovenden, Charlie Stemp and Summer Strallen – will perform some of Elaine’s most adored songs at the London Palladium, which will be broadcast on Radio 2 on Sunday 4 May (8pm-10pm).
A special for Radio 2 and BBC TV will air in April and will see Elaine in conversation with Zoe in which she tells the story of her life and career.
Zoe’s return is part of a new range of programming on the station.
Richie Anderson, who presents the traffic and travel news every Monday – Thursday (noon-7pm), will launch a new Sunday night into Monday morning show (midnight-3am) in April, broadcasting live from BBC MediaCity in Salford.
Richie says: “It’s always been a dream of mine to have my own show on Radio 2 and I’m delighted that dream has come true! I’m raring to go and can’t wait to get to know the night owls around the UK as the weekend comes to a close and we head into a brand new week.”
In May, Pick of the Pops, hosted by Mark Goodier and currently broadcast each Saturday lunchtime (1-3pm), will move to a new home of Sundays (5-7pm).
Mark said: “I presented my first BBC Radio 1 Top 40 in 1988, so I hope bringing Pick of the Pops to the traditional Sunday afternoon chart show home is an irresistible invitation to pop fans of all generations to join me for a nostalgic look back to some of the greatest songs from across the decades.”
Head of Radio 2 Helen said: “Placing Pick of the Pops in the live early evening Sunday slot is a throwback to years gone by, when we’d gather around the radio to listen to the chart countdown, and we didn’t have access to programming in our pocket. These days, Pick of the Pops fans can listen to the programme on demand, at any time and anywhere that suits them, on BBC Sounds.”
Rob Beckett has decided to step down from his Sunday afternoon 5-7pm show in April, just before Easter, but will continue to appear on Radio 2 as a cover presenter.
Rob said: “I’ve had such a laugh each Sunday getting to know the listeners, but as my tour schedule hots up and my family forget what I look like, I’ve decided to step away from a weekly show. But you won’t get away from me that easily as I’ll be back presenting shows on Radio 2 later in the year when normal service is resumed!”
Zoe Ball returning to BBC Radio 2 just weeks after breakfast show exit
