Why Zoe Ball really quit BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show as she announces new role

Zoe Ball has announced she will be stepping down from her role as the host of Radio 2's Breakfast Show, leaving fans curious about her next career move. The 53 year old BBC presenter surprised listeners with the news on Tuesday.

Zoe, who has been a part of the programme for six years, will be succeeded by her close friend and colleague, Scott Mills. She took over from Chris Evans in 2019 and is now ready to say goodbye to her early morning slot and embark on a new chapter in her career.

Her last broadcast is scheduled for December 20, while Scott is set to take over from January. But what does the future hold for Zoe?

In her announcement, she revealed that she will continue to work with the BBC on Radio 2, but won't be presenting at the break of dawn.

She expressed her relief at stepping away from the "step away from the very early mornings" and admitted: "I won't miss the 4am alarm call, if I'm completely honest.", reports the Mirror.

Keeping listeners informed about her future plans, she assured them that she wasn't "going to be a stranger" and would remain with her "Radio 2 crew", although she didn't divulge any further details. Zoe added: "While I'm stepping away from the Breakfast Show, I'm not disappearing entirely - I'll still be part of the Radio 2 family, with more news in the New Year."

Zoe Ball has announced she is stepping down from her role to "focus on family" and enjoy being "a mum in the mornings" once more, sharing her enthusiasm to tune into the show during the school run. Closer sources have suggested that Zoe's decision was influenced by a desire for more time with her children, Woody, 23, and Nellie, 14, especially following the loss of her mother earlier this year.

An insider confided to Mail Online, stressing "She simply wants to live differently, which means having more of a family life," linking Zoe's change of heart about her career to the sadness of her mum Julia's death in April due to pancreatic cancer. According to an informant: "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."

Following an unexplained six-week absence this summer which raised concerns among listeners, Zoe made a return with a cheery "I'm back! ", without divulging details about her time away.

It's now been acknowledged how amicably Zoe has been interacting with her ex-husband, the celebrated DJ Norman Cook, better known as Fatboy Slim. On her recent show, Zoe fondly looked back at her 1999 nuptials with Norman at Somerset's idyllic Babington House, recalling, "That was a good do".

Zoe and Norman first crossed paths in 1997 and officially split in 2016, after a brief break in 2003 when it was revealed that Zoe had an affair with Norman's friend DJ Dan Peppe. Despite their separation, they continued to play significant roles in each other's lives, jointly raising their children Woody and Nelly.

Recently, the ex-couple have been seen spending more time together, with Zoe planning to celebrate her 54th birthday by watching Norman perform in North London this weekend. A source told Mail Online that Norman has been 'very much there for her' during a difficult year.

The paper also reported 'whispers of a new closeness' between Zoe and Norman, who are both currently single. However, any speculation about them rekindling their romance is likely just 'wishful thinking' among their friends.