Zoe Ball in tears at farewell lunch with team ahead of Radio 2 exit-Emily Bashforth-Entertainment – Metro

Zoe Ball was seen experiencing all the emotions at her BBC Radio 2 farewell lunch (Picture: Topstar-WJ_Images/Backgrid)

Zoe Ball was seen in tears as her team hosted an emotional send-off for her ahead of her final show on BBC Radio 2.

The broadcaster, who was the station’s first-ever female breakfast host, announced last month that she was stepping down from her role to ‘focus on family’.

Scott Mills will take her place, having already filled in for the mum-of-two during her unexplained absence earlier this year.

With Zoe, 54, set to helm her last broadcast on Friday, she could be seen wiping her eyes during a farewell meal with her colleagues.

Photos captured the beloved star reminiscing on her six years at Radio 2 at the iconic Langan’s Brasserie restaurant in London’s Mayfair.

She was joined by her whole team, including Richie Anderson and Tina Daheley, and laughed as well as wept as she undoubtedly regaled tales from her time in the BBC building.

Zoe wept as she reminisced on her six years at Radio 2 (Picture: Topstar-WJ_Images/Backgrid)

She laughed with colleagues as they dined in London’s Mayfair (Picture: Topstar-WJ_Images/Backgrid)

Zoe hugged her co-workers goodbye before leaving (Picture: Topstar-WJ_Images/Backgrid)

After her Anglo-French cuisine experience, Zoe left alone with a large Selfridges bag, which is believed to have been a gift from her co-workers, each of whom she hugged before her exit.

Testament to her status as a revered broadcaster, upon leaving the establishment, Zoe was asked for selfies by a couple of fans.

One said to her: ‘So, this is sort of the last supper then?’

Zoe replied: ‘I will probably cry on Friday.’

With her efforts to secure a taxi unsuccessful, Zoe walked across the road to stand outside The Ritz Hotel, where she started whistling.

After putting her arm out, a cab stopped for her straight away—that’s some whistle!

Zoe left clutching a very large Selfridges bag (Picture: Topstar-WJ_Images/Backgrid)

The revered broadcaster wore a smile on her face (Picture: Topstar-WJ_Images/Backgrid)

Upon announcing her departure from Radio 2, Zoe described her stint there as ‘incredible’, despite the ‘very early mornings’.

With her last show airing on December 20, she noted this was ‘just in time for Christmas with plenty of fun and shenanigans.’

Telling her listeners about her decision to bow out, she said: ‘I’ve decided it’s time to step away from the early alarm call and start a new chapter.

‘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.’

She added she would also miss her colleagues, saying they were ‘like family to [her]’.

The early morning presenter added that the one thing she definitely will not miss is the sound of her alarm going off at 4am.

Zoe is stepping away from the mic to ‘focus on family’ (Picture: Instagram)

She described her time at Radio 2 as ‘incredible’ (Picture: Rachel Joseph/Comic Relief via Getty Images)

Scott Mills will take over her breakfast show in 2025 (Picture: James Manning/PA Wire)

‘You know I love you all to bits,’ she sweetly told her audience.

In recent weeks, Zoe has revealed her long-term battles with the chronic health condition, temporomandibular joint disorder, otherwise known as TMJ which causes pain and tenderness in jaw joints.

The former It Takes Two host has also had a tough year personally, as she suffered two tragic losses – including that of her mum Julia, who died in April.

When she announced the devastating news, she said in part of her statement: ‘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.’

Long-term BBC host Scott, who joined Radio 1 in 1998 and moved to Radio 2 in 2017, will take over from Zoe officially in 2025.

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