Entertainment
Zoe Ball seen for first time since quitting Radio 2 show-Ruth Lawes-Entertainment – Metro
She is one of the BBC’s most beloved stars.
Zoe Ball looked upbeat the day after she announced her departure from BBC Radio 2 (Picture: Mattpapz / Backgrid)
Zoe Ball looked like she didn’t have a care in the world as she went for a stroll outside the BBC’s Broadcasting House in central London.
The 53-year-old’s outing comes the day after she shockwaves were sent through the nation when she announced she was quitting BBC Radio 2’s Breakfast Show.
Zoe said she had decided to leave the show she has presented for six years to ‘focus on family’ and her replacement has been confirmed as Scott Mills.
On Wednesday, Zoe looked upbeat and flashed a smile at the cameras as she headed to coffee shop Joe & the Juice where she grabbed an orange smoothie.
The DJ looked chic in a green polo neck jumper, black bomber jacket, dark jeans and boots.
While the broadcaster has announced her Radio 2 departure, she will remain on the station until December, when fellow Radio 2 presenter Scott, 51 – who filled in for mum-of-two during her unexplained absence earlier this year – will be officially take over.
Zoe was seen taking a stroll outside BBC’s Broadcasting House (Picture: Mattpapz / Backgrid)
She nipped out to grab a smoothie from Joe & the Juice (Picture: Mattpapz / Backgrid)
Yesterday, Zoe said: ‘After six incredible years on the Radio 2 Breakfast Show, it’s time for me to step away from the very early mornings and focus on family. It’s been a privilege.
‘I think the world of you listeners and I’m grateful to my bosses here for their support, especially this year.
‘Huge thanks go to my awesome team on the show, Tina, Mike and Richie, and of course our listeners, with whom I’ve shared some of life’s highs and lows, the good, the bad and the daft times.
‘My last show will be on Friday December 20, just in time for Christmas with plenty of fun and shenanigans.
Zoe said she left Radio 2 to concentrate on her family (Picture: BBC)
Scott has already been confirmed as Zoe’s replacement (Picture: James Manning/PA Wire)
‘While I’m stepping away from the Breakfast Show, I’m not disappearing entirely – I’ll still be a part of the Radio 2 family, with more news in the New Year.
‘I’m excited to embrace my next chapter, including being a mum in the mornings, and I can’t wait to tune in on the school run!’
Zoe is mum to son Woody (born in 2000) and daughter Nelly (born in 2010), who she shares with her ex DJ Fatboy Slim, real name Norman Cook.
The pair, who met in Ibiza in 1997, first split after Norman discovered Zoe had been unfaithful with DJ Dan Peppe.
Zoe is mum to two children, son Woody and daughter Nelly (Picture: @zoetheball)
Zoe remains on good terms with her ex Norman (Picture: Dave Hogan/Getty Images)
He previously told reporters: ‘I still love her. If you love someone, you’ll forgive them.’
After reconciling, they welcomed their second child, but in 2016, Zoe and Norman separated for good.
Since their separation, the stars have remained close friends, with Zoe reportedly recently selling her Sussex mansion to move closer to him in Brighton.
It has been a tough year for Zoe, with her mum dying in April, just 12 weeks after she was diagnosed with cancer.
Zoe announced her mother Julia Peckham’s pancreatic cancer diagnosis in March, subsequently taking time off work to care for her.
After Julia died, Zoe was unexpectedly absent from her radio show for a period of time, reportedly spending more time with her family and dealing with ‘grief, anxiety, and depression’.
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