Zoe Ball may have missed out on presenting the new series of Strictly Come Dancing, but she has reportedly accepted a new role at Greatest Hits Radio. The former BBC Radio 2 star was expected to join the rival commercial station in the autumn.
This development comes after BBC bosses announced that Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe, and Johannes Radebe would be the new hosts of Strictly. Ball, who appeared on the show as a contestant and later fronted its spin-off, It Takes Two, until 2021, expressed her disappointment but also her excitement about the new opportunity.
According to a source cited by The Sun, "Greatest Hits have wanted her for a while and as soon as Zoe found out about the Strictly job, she decided to take it. She absolutely loves being a radio presenter, and after stepping away from her BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show a year ago, she took time to think about what she wanted. She knows so many people at the commercial station and can't wait to get started."
Ball spoke about the rejection on her Dig It podcast with Jo Whiley, saying she had been "working through the seven stages of grief and rejection" after losing out on the main presenter role. However, she praised the new hosts, describing them as "fabulous" and stating that the show would be in "safe hands."
"I was so chuffed to even be in the mix," Ball said. "There were some pretty amazing people who didn't even make it into the mix."
The move to Greatest Hits Radio marks a new chapter for Ball, who stepped down from her BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show in 2024. She is expected to bring her experience and popularity to the station, which has been keen to secure her services for some time.
