Zoe Ball is leaving BBC Radio 2 next month after six years on air following a tough year after losing her beloved mum

On Tuesday, BBC Radio 2 presenter Zoe Ball shocked listeners when she announced that she was leaving her duties on the show after six years – and now the real reason for her departure has been ‘revealed’.

Zoe, 53, shared her heartfelt gratitude, saying she is “really touched” by the wave of well-wishes following her announcement that she will be stepping down as host of BBC Radio 2’s Breakfast Show.

The media star plans to leave next month and cites wanting to “focus on family” as her reason but also expressed that she’s “really chuffed” for Scott Mills, who will step into the early morning role.

Ball succeeded Chris Evans in 2019 and after six years, she’s ready to bid farewell to the dawn chorus, indicating it’s time for her to “step away from the very early mornings and focus on family”, with her final broadcast scheduled for December 20. Meanwhile, Mills, currently hosting Radio 2’s afternoon slot, is set to take over from January.

Sad reason behind Zoe Ball’s shock decision to quit Radio 2 despite £950k salary ( 
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Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)

On Instagram, Ball showed appreciation: “Really touched, thanks for the messages, thrilled for my mates Scott, Trevor, Spoony and Sophie.” TV favourite Rylan Clark hailed Zoe as “being the best wake-up for the past six years” while also lauding Mills in his Instagram stories: “Scott, I’ve never been more happy for someone. If you grazed your knee you would bleed radio. I know how much this means to you and I’m so so proud of you”.

Scott Mills will be taking over from Zoe Ball ( 
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Beaming alongside Mills for a photo op outside New Broadcasting House, Zoe told reporters of her pride for her colleague Mills. “It has all turned out nicely,” she said contently.

“I’m really chuffed for my mate and really excited about it.” Ball warmed the hearts of her fans during her Tuesday radio show when she addressed her audience, saying, “You know I think the world of you all, listeners, and it truly has been such a privilege to share the mornings with you, to go through life’s little ups and downs, we got through the lockdown together, didn’t we?”

Zoe has been on BBC Radio 2 since 2019 ( 
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“We’ve shared a hell of a lot, the good times, the tough times, there’s been a lot of laughter. And I am going to miss you cats.” Despite the love for her job, Ball couldn’t resist adding a note on her early starts: “But I won’t miss the 4am alarm call, if I’m completely honest.”

Zoe’s shock departure from BBC Radio 2 comes after she had an unexplained six-week absence this summer. Listeners were growing increasingly concerned for the radio presenter, but after six weeks, Zoe returned to the show as she declared ‘I’m back!’ in an upbeat tone.

At the time, Zoe said she was happy to be back as she told Radio 2 listeners that she was a ‘wanderer’ no more. However, insiders have now claimed that the much-loved star was masking the unhappiness that had kept her off air for six weeks.

Sources have claimed that Zoe’s reasoning for leaving her duties on Radio 2 are down to a desire to spend more time with her kids, Woody, 23, and Nellie, 14 – after the death of her beloved mum earlier this year.

Zoe and her son, Woody ( 
Image:
Instagram/woody_cook)“She simply wants to live differently, which means having more of a family life,” the insider told Mail Online after Zoe herself said that she has had enough of the 4am wake-up calls after six years on the show.

The catalyst for the change in Zoe’s perspective on her work-life balance is reportedly down to the passing of her beloved mother Julia, who died earlier this year.

Of her decision to finally call it a day after six years at BBC Radio 2, a source said: “In the end, this was completely her decision. She came to them [the BBC] in September after she had had a break to think about her life and said: ‘I’m done.’ The BBC… wanted a bit of time to put everything in place, which they were able to do. They looked at who might do it… I think they only seriously considered Vernon Kay and Scott Mills.”