Zoe Ball's BBC colleagues growing 'very concerned' over unexplained Radio 2 absence

Colleagues of Zoe Ball is said to have expressed their “concerns” following the BBC Radio 2 broadcaster’s mysterious six-week absence. The mother-of-two last took the mic in early August and has yet to publicly address her unavailability.

53-year-old Zoe has held down the Radio 2 Breakfast host position since taking over from Chris Evans in January 2019. She has been missing from the morning programme since August 8, with a rotating chair of presenters including Gaby Roslin and Scott Mills being enlisted to temporarily hold down the fort.

According to claims made by The Daily Mail, BBC colleagues have been “concerned” for her wellbeing. The publication reports that an alleged colleague of Zoe explained that she may be feeling the pressure as her Breakfast Show is viewed more like a television set than a regular radio broadcast.

“Guests still actually go into the studio rather than have a quick chat on Zoom so she has to be fully present and look the part,” they reported. “She is up so early and she has a long journey in.

“She is up at 3am, and travels into London. You compare that to some of the other BBC employees, they have a couple of shows each week and go home again.”

The source continued to claim that Zoe’s colleagues have been “very” concerned about her and that they “hope that she is OK”.

On Friday (September 20), photos obtained by The Mirror pictured Zoe laughing with a group of people outside a cafe in Hove.

The image - featuring her ex-husband Norman Cook, 61 - is thought to have been captured last weekend (September 15).

It’s previously been rumoured that the former Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two presenter would return to the hot seat this coming week after schedules published by the BBC showed her in the slot.

When contacted for comment, a spokesperson for Radio 2 elaborated: “Zoe will return to the Radio 2 Breakfast Show later this month".

On his August 12 show, Scott told listeners that he was taking over the Breakfast Show for the foreseeable.

“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," he explained.

"If you've just put us on this morning, it's Scott Mills in for Zoe for the next few weeks. I'm sending you all my love Zo, as are the team."

Zoe’s absence comes months after she announced the death of her mother Julie Peckham, who died after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

Taking to social media, the Lancashire-born star wrote: "Sleep tight dear Mama. Thank you for teaching us how to love unconditionally, to always show courage and empathy, and how, even in the darkest of days, laughter is the greatest of gifts.

“We are bereft without you but will hold so tight to each other.”

Zoe’s latest Instagram post was made on August 5 and saw her posing for a selfie with her and Norman’s children Nelly Cook and The Circle star Woody Cook.

She and the Fatboy Slim star welcomed their children in 2000 and 2010, respectively.

The pair were married at Babington House in Somerset in August 1999 and after 18 years together announced their separation in 2016, successfully divorcing four years later.

Zoe, who is the highest-paid woman working at the BBC with an annual salary of £950,000, was last on television in 2023 when she presented the ITV Mamma Mia! I Have a Dream talent show.

Prior to that, she appeared in Catherine Tate’s sitcom Queen of Oz as herself and in 2021 competed as a contestant on The Masked Dancer.