Zoe Ball returns to BBC Radio 2 and speaks out after mystery extended absence

Zoe Ball has returned to BBC Radio 2 after being absent for the past six weeks.

The radio station’s afternoon presenter Scott Mills had been hosting Ball’s morning programme in her place before the veteran host returned this morning (September 23).

Prior to her return, Ball had not presented the breakfast show since August 8, and Mills took over on August 12.

“If you set your alarm every morning to go off at 6:30am and normally Zoe comes on, please do not freak out. You have not overslept. If you’ve just put us on this morning, it’s Scott Mills in for Zoe for the next few weeks,” Mills said when he stepped in (per BBC). “I’m sending you all my love Zo’, as are the team.”

At the start of her Monday show, Ball told listeners: “Morning gorgeous people it’s me Zoe the happy wanderer. I’ve wandered back.”

“How was your Brat summer?” she quipped, referencing the cultural phenomenon of Charli XCX‘s new album. “Was it marvellous? We did that in the 90s it was called something different then.”

back on breakfast @bbcradio2 tomorrow morning at 6:30

thanks to @scott_mills and @DJSpoony for putting in the mega shifts @TinaDaheley @richie_anderson @mikewills_sport

— Zoe Ball (@ZoeTheBall) September 22, 2024

She also thanked Mills for “looking after the show” and said there would be “more on that later”, but did not directly address the reason for her absence.

The radio presenter also joked that she hadn’t gone to Turkey for “a new face and teeth”, in response to a a listener who jokingly texted in.

The broadcaster had previously announced her return on X ahead of the show, thanking her colleagues for “putting in the mega shifts”.

Elsewhere during her first show back, Ball said she was “sending lots of love” to her friends Lauren Laverne and Jamie Theakston both of whom received cancer diagnoses in recent weeks. Ball confirmed that both are having treatment and “doing well”.

BBC Radio 6 Music host Laverne shared her diagnosis news over the summer. She told followers that the cancer “caught early and unexpectedly during a screening test and I am expected to make a full recovery”.

She also used the post to urge people to get screened as soon as possible, writing: “I also want to say that if you’re avoiding a test or putting off an appointment to get yourself checked out please, please do it today.

Heart Radio’s Theakston revealed his diagnosis just last week, sharing that he’d been diagnosed with stage one laryngeal cancer.

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