Zoe Ball: TV presenter, Strictly star and host of Radio 1 and 2 breakfast shows
The 53-year-old is now planning the ‘new chapter’ in her career.
Zoe Ball has announced she is stepping down as host of the Radio 2 breakfast show to be replaced by Scott Mills.
The 53-year-old said she is planning to “start a new chapter” in her career, which has seen her become the first female host of Radio 1 and Radio 2’s breakfast shows and appear as a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing.
Blackpool-born Ball, who is the daughter of TV presenter Johnny Ball, began her career on BBC children’s TV show Playdays, before joining CBBC’s SMart in 1994, presenting alongside Mark Speight and Jay Burridge.
She had her first taste of music broadcasting in 1996, becoming a regular presenter on the corporation’s flagship charts show Top Of The Pops, alternating with fellow hosts Jayne Middlemiss and Jo Whiley, until 1998.
Ball also co-hosted the BBC’s Saturday morning children’s magazine Live & Kicking alongside Jamie Theakston for three years from 1996.
In 1997 she became co-host of the Radio 1 Breakfast Show with Kevin Greening, and eventually became the sole host before leaving in 2000 to be replaced by Sara Cox.
While working at Radio 1, Ball began dating musician Norman Cook, known as Fatboy Slim, and the pair married at Babington House in Somerset in 1999.
