Zoe Ball Breaks Cover Looking Radiant After Shock Radio 2 Exit – Spotted at Star-Studded Elton John Gig
Zoe Ball made a lively return to the public eye as she joined a star-studded crowd at Elton John’s show at the London Palladium. It marked her first public outing since stepping away from her long-standing role on the BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show — and by all accounts, she looked in high spirits.
She was spotted enjoying herself in the company of big names like Sam Fender, Ronnie Wood, Jason Momoa, and ABBA’s Björn Ulvaeus. “She seemed in great spirits and was singing along,” said an onlooker who caught the radio icon letting loose in the crowd. It was a welcome sight for fans who know it’s been a difficult year for Zoe, reported the Mirror.
Her dad, Johnny, recently opened up about just how hard the past year has been for her, especially after the loss of her mum, Julia, who passed away in April at the age of 74 following a cancer diagnosis. “Her mum died last year, and she’s had various other problems, but she’s chuffed to have packed in the Radio 2 breakfast show, as she’s realised every day has 24 hours now,” he said.
Johnny went on to explain just how grueling her early mornings had become. “Her days used to start at 4 am, and by the time it got to midday, she was knackered. She visited me recently and said: ‘I’m in such a good place.’”
After leaving the breakfast show in December—her last one aired on the 20th—Zoe didn’t disappear completely. She popped up during the holidays with a festive two-part series, Christmas Crooners, and has a few more projects in the pipeline. She’s set to host Elaine Paige: 60 Years in Showbusiness, a special TV concert celebrating the iconic singer’s career.
And she’s not done with Radio 2 just yet. Zoe will be returning with a brand-new Saturday show from 1 pm to 3 pm, full of tunes and laughs. Head of Radio 2, Helen Thomas, 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. Plu,s she’ll be hosting various specials for us throughout the year.”
Meanwhile, her son Woody Cook gave fans a peek into her life post-breakfast show, revealing she’s been helping out in a local café. “These crazy party people I grew up with are now gardening, making puzzle,s and working in the local cafe,” he joked. But he also shared how happy he was to have more time with his mum, saying, “It’s lovely seeing my mum more… obviously she’s had quite a weird schedule for the last few years.”
Even as Zoe was preparing to bow out of her daily show, her audience numbers were booming. In the last quarter of the year, she pulled in an average of 6.8 million listeners—up 9% from the previous months, and the highest the show had seen since 2023, according to Rajar. Though it’s been a rollercoaster of a year, Zoe’s finding her footing again—on her own terms—and fans couldn’t be more here for it.
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