Zoe Ball beams as she arrives at the BBC studios for the last day of her Radio 2 show after announcing shock exit

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Zoe Ball beamed as she arrived at the BBC studios for the last day of her Radio 2 show. 

The 55-year-old DJ surprised her audience last weekend by announcing she was leaving her weekly show after only seven months.

Zoe announced that her Saturday lunchtime show will be her last, with Emma Willis taking over. However, she reassured fans she won’t be gone for good and plans to return to host occasional special programs for the station.

Zoe arrived to record her final performance wearing a brown tweed blazer and dark, rolled-up jeans.

She completed her outfit with a black sweater and sunglasses, and was spotted enjoying a smoothie from Joe & The Juice.

Zoe arrived at the studio with several full shopping bags from Waitrose, stopping to take pictures and sign autographs for her fans.

Zoe said last week that she was leaving her lunchtime show, and Emma will be taking over.

On live radio, Zoe announced she was leaving, sharing, ‘It’s been wonderful working with my great friends Romesh and Rylan, and I love you all, but I won’t be gone for good.’

We’ve got Christmas Crooners coming up, and I’m excited to announce I’ll be doing an Eras show in the New Year – I’ll share more details soon! I’m also delighted to say you’ll be in great hands, as a familiar face is officially joining the Radio 2 team.

I’m thrilled that Emma is taking over! She’s incredibly positive and will bring a lot of fun and great music to your Saturdays.

Emma shared her excitement about joining Radio 2, saying she’s thrilled to become part of the team. She feels honored to take over from Zoe, whom she greatly admires.

I absolutely can’t wait to join you all listening on Radio 2 every Saturday lunchtime! Honestly, I’m thrilled to be part of the show, even if it means happily being the ‘filling’ between Romesh and Rylan – they’re a brilliant duo, and I’m just excited to be included!

The BBC confirmed the news on Instagram and also promoted Zoe’s first show with the station.

Zoe will still present special programs on the station, and her first new endeavor is a fresh series of the award-winning ‘Eras’ podcast for Radio 2 and BBC Sounds. This series will explore the life and career of Phil Collins.

Zoe discussed leaving her show on Tuesday, telling the Daily Mail she was simply taking a break. This comes as rumors suggest she may be in line to host Strictly Come Dancing.

I heard from the presenter herself, speaking from her home in Hove, and she’s chosen not to share any more details about what led to her decision. She really wants to keep things private right now, and I respect that.

Zoe left her popular breakfast show on Radio 2 last November after hosting it for six years, saying she wanted to spend more time with her family.

It’s understandable she’d want to spend more time at home, especially after completely renovating the lovely seaside property she purchased last March for £2 million.

Her attractive house, with its peach and white exterior, has five bedrooms and three bathrooms. It was originally divided into multiple apartments, a common feature for buildings on that street.

After almost a year of work, I’m thrilled to say the house is finally finished! We completely transformed it from a very minimalist space into something bright, fun, and full of personality. It’s amazing what a little color and creativity can do!

As many of you know, I’ve been pouring my energy into making my house a real home lately! It needed a little… well, life. The previous decor was very white and grey, a bit cold, honestly. Thankfully, I connected with the amazing Catherine at Arior Design, and she completely transformed the space, adding so much character, color, and warmth. I shared some ‘before & after’ photos on Instagram in April – it’s amazing what a difference it makes!

The celebrity also expressed gratitude to the local contractors who renovated the property, highlighting their work with the hashtags #sussexbusinesses and #sussextrades.

Zoe moved to Hove looking for a fresh start. A source told the Daily Mail she’d grown tired of rural life and wanted to live somewhere with more energy.

She’s been completely focused on decorating her house and is enjoying the process of finding furniture and accessories to make it exactly how she wants it.

The situation also intentionally led to her reconnecting with her ex-husband, Norman Cook – better known as the DJ Fatboy Slim – and they’ve remained close friends.

After 18 years together, the couple separated in 2016 and officially divorced in 2020. They described reaching a natural conclusion to their relationship, having shared many happy experiences along the way.

Their relationship faced some serious challenges. They separated briefly in 2003 after Zoe had an affair with a friend of Norman’s, DJ Dan Peppe. Later, shortly before their divorce, she was photographed kissing Tay Tay Starhz, a 22-year-old member of the British pop group Franklin Lake, after a night of drinking.

Despite no longer being a couple, Norman and Zoe have remained close friends and dedicated co-parents. In fact, Norman recently described Zoe as his ‘soulmate’ during an interview about his new autobiography.

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2025-12-20 16:34