Radio 2 listeners usually wake to Zoe Ball ’s familiar voice over the airwaves, but the star has been missing from her Breakfast show for the past few days. On Friday, August 9, Gaby Roslin could be heard welcoming the 6.30am audience instead of the 53-year-old presenter.
This unexpected absence has stretched into this morning’s show too, with Scott Mills taking over for Zoe and joking listeners hadn’t ‘overslept’. The BBC confirmed to Metro.co.
uk that Zoe would be taking time off and planned to return in September but offered no further details. Usually, presenters will give listeners a heads-up if they plan to be off but on Zoe’s last show on Thursday, she simply said: ‘See you at dawn’. Her last shock time off came after her mum’s sudden death in April , 12 weeks after receiving a cancer diagnosis.
‘Good Morning. You weren’t expecting me, were you? Welcome to Monday. It’s Scott Mills,’ the 51-year-old presenter announced.
Aware that his voice might cause panic as Scott usually fills an afternoon slot on the popular BBC radio station. He explained: ‘If you set your alarm every morning to go off at 6.30 and normally Zoe comes on please do not freak out.
You have not overslept. ‘I’m here doing the Breakfast Show do not panic. It’s early.
You aren’t late for work. It’s Monday 12th August.’ Scott gave no further details about Zoe’s absence and the star herself has not given any further information.
Her disappearance from the airwaves appears to have been an unexpected one as guest Will Young shared he was excited to chat with her on Thursday night. ‘Jumping into album release day tomorrow on @bbcradio2. @zoetheball bring your swimmers,’ the Leave Right Now hitmaker shared on X.
Instead, he found himself chatting to Gaby, 60, about his brand new album. Zoe had only just returned to her Breakfast slot on August 5 after a short break for her mum’s birthday – the first since her death. Keeping things light, the presenter asked ‘What did I miss?’ after saying her family, which includes two children with ex Fatboy Slim , were ‘bereft’.
The radio DJ had announced her mother Julia Peckham’s pancreatic cancer diagnosis in March , subsequently taking time off work to care for her . After the funeral, Zoe wrote on Instagram: ‘Yesterday we said goodbye to our dear Mama, Granny J. It was the perfect day and she would have loved it.
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‘We are bereft without you but will hold so tight to each other. Your grace & your smile that lit up every room you were in, will light the stars to guide us.’ Got a story? If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.
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