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Zoe Ball

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Zoe Ball

Zoe Louise Ball (born 23 November 1970) is a British broadcaster and presenter. She was the first female host of the Radio 1 and Radio 2 breakfast shows for the BBC, and in 2024 was confirmed as the second-highest paid BBC presenter after Gary Lineker. In 2018, Ball was announced as the new host of The Radio 2 Breakfast Show and took over from Chris Evans in January 2019, before stepping down from the programme in December 2024. Ball presented the children's show Live & Kicking, alongside Jamie Theakston, from 1996 to 1999. In 2005, she was a contestant in the third series of Strictly Come Dancing. Following this, in 2011 she replaced Claudia Winkleman as host of the BBC Two spin-off show Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two until her departure in 2021. Ball also hosted the Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour in 2011 and 2015.

Infobox

Born
Zoe Louise Ball (1970-11-23) 23 November 1970 Blackpool, Lancashire, England
Occupations
Presenter, broadcaster
Years active
1993–present
Employer
BBC
Spouse
Norman Cook (m. 1999; sep. 2016)
Children
2
Father
Johnny Ball

Tables

· Filmography › Radio
2004
Friday evenings
Role(s)
Presenter
Notes
19:00–21:00 Fridays
2007
Zoe Ball & Sara Cox
Role(s)
Co-presenter with Sara Cox
Notes
13:00–16:00 Sunday (one-off)
2008
Danny Baker & Zoe Ball
Role(s)
10:00–13:00 Saturday
Notes
BBC Radio 2
2009–2012
Role(s)
Saturday weekend breakfast
Notes
Presenter
2017–2018
Role(s)
Saturday mid-afternoons
Notes
15:00–18:00 Saturdays
2019–2024
Role(s)
The Radio 2 Breakfast Show
Notes
6:30–9:30 weekdays
2025
Saturday lunchtimes
Role(s)
13:00–15:00 Saturdays
Year
Title
Role
Slot
Station
Notes
1997–1998
Radio 1 Breakfast
Co-presenter with Kevin Greening
6:30–9:00 weekdays
BBC Radio 1
1998–2000
Radio 1 Breakfast
Presenter
6:00-9:00 weekdays
2002–2003
Weekday Drivetime
Presenter
16:00–19:00 weekdays
Xfm
2004
Friday evenings
Presenter
19:00–21:00 Fridays
2007
Zoe Ball & Sara Cox
Co-presenter with Sara Cox
13:00–16:00 Sunday (one-off)
BBC Radio 1
Special 1-episode show
2008
Danny Baker & Zoe Ball
10:00–13:00 Saturday
BBC Radio 2
4 episodes
2009–2012
Saturday weekend breakfast
Presenter
6:00–8:00 Saturdays
2017–2018
Saturday mid-afternoons
15:00–18:00 Saturdays
2019–2024
The Radio 2 Breakfast Show
6:30–9:30 weekdays
2025
Saturday lunchtimes
13:00–15:00 Saturdays
· Filmography › Television
1995
Fully Booked
Role(s)
Presenter
1996
The Big Breakfast
Role(s)
Co-presenter
1996–1998
Role(s)
Top of the Pops
Notes
Co-presenter
1996–1999
Role(s)
Live & Kicking
Notes
Co-presenter
1999–2001
Role(s)
The Priory
Notes
Co-presenter
2002
Brit Awards
Role(s)
Co-presenter
Notes
With Frank Skinner
2005
Strictly Dance Fever
Role(s)
Co-presenter
Strictly Come Dancing
Role(s)
Contestant
Notes
Series 3
2006
Extinct
Role(s)
Co-presenter
Notes
1 series; with Trevor McDonald
2007
Soapstar Superstar
Role(s)
Presenter
Notes
1 series
Grease Is the Word
Role(s)
Presenter
Notes
1 series
2009
Britain's Best Brain
Role(s)
Co-presenter
Notes
1 series; with Jamie Theakston
2011
Mongrels
Role(s)
Herself
Notes
1 episode
2011–2020
Role(s)
Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two
Notes
Presenter
2012–2013, 2016–2017
Role(s)
The One Show
Notes
Guest presenter
2013
Doctor Who Live: The Next Doctor
Role(s)
Presenter
Notes
One-off episode
Children in Need
Role(s)
Co-presenter
The Nation's Favourite Elvis Song
Role(s)
Narrator
Notes
One-off episode
2014
The Voice: Louder on Two
Role(s)
Presenter
Notes
1 series
Strictly Come Dancing
Role(s)
Stand-in presenter
Notes
6 episodes
2015
EastEnders: Backstage Live
Role(s)
Presenter
Notes
One-off episode
The Nation's Favourite '70s Number One
Role(s)
Narrator
Notes
One-off episode
BBC Young Dancer
Role(s)
Co-presenter
Notes
Grand final; with Darcey Bussell and Clemency Burton-Hill
Hacker's Birthday Bash: 30 Years of Children's BBC
Role(s)
Herself
Notes
One-off episode
Don't Tell the Bride
Role(s)
Narrator
Notes
1 series
The Nation's Favourite '80s Number One
Role(s)
Narrator
Notes
One-off episode
2016
Can't Touch This
Role(s)
Co-presenter
Notes
1 series; with Ashley Banjo
The Nation's Favourite Carpenters Song
Role(s)
Narrator
Notes
One-off episode
Film 2016
Role(s)
Guest presenter
Notes
1 episode
2017
Saturday Mash-Up!
Role(s)
Guest
Notes
1 episode
The Big Family Cooking Showdown
Role(s)
Co-presenter
Notes
1 series; with Nadiya Hussain
2018
Zoe Ball's Hardest Road Home
Notes
One-off
Zoe Ball on.. /Sunday
Role(s)
Presenter
Notes
1 series + Christmas specials
2020
The Big Night In
Role(s)
Co-presenter
2020–present
Role(s)
Celebrity Gogglebox
Notes
Herself
2021
The Masked Dancer
Role(s)
Contestant
Notes
Llama, revealed in Episode 5
The Wheel
Role(s)
Participant
Notes
Christmas special
2023
Queen of Oz
Role(s)
Herself
Notes
1 episode (Ep 1)
Mamma Mia! I Have a Dream
Role(s)
Presenter
Notes
Talent show
2025
VE Day 80: A Celebration to Remember
Role(s)
Presenter
Notes
Concert
2026
Just One Thing
Role(s)
Co-presenter
Notes
With Clive Myrie and Roman Kemp
Who Do You Think You Are?
Role(s)
Herself
Notes
One episode
Year
Title
Role
Notes
1994–1996
SMart
Co-presenter
1995
Fully Booked
Presenter
1996
The Big Breakfast
Co-presenter
1996–1998
Top of the Pops
Co-presenter
1996–1999
Live & Kicking
Co-presenter
1999–2001
The Priory
Co-presenter
With Jamie Theakston
2002
Brit Awards
Co-presenter
With Frank Skinner
2005
Strictly Dance Fever
Co-presenter
Strictly Come Dancing
Contestant
Series 3
2006
Extinct
Co-presenter
1 series; with Trevor McDonald
2007
Soapstar Superstar
Presenter
1 series
Grease Is the Word
Presenter
1 series
2009
Britain's Best Brain
Co-presenter
1 series; with Jamie Theakston
2011
Mongrels
Herself
1 episode
2011–2020
Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two
Presenter
10 series, final 2 co-presented by Rylan Clark
2012–2013, 2016–2017
The One Show
Guest presenter
6 episodes
2013
Doctor Who Live: The Next Doctor
Presenter
One-off episode
Children in Need
Co-presenter
The Nation's Favourite Elvis Song
Narrator
One-off episode
2014
The Voice: Louder on Two
Presenter
1 series
Strictly Come Dancing
Stand-in presenter
6 episodes
2015
EastEnders: Backstage Live
Presenter
One-off episode
The Nation's Favourite '70s Number One
Narrator
One-off episode
BBC Young Dancer
Co-presenter
Grand final; with Darcey Bussell and Clemency Burton-Hill
Hacker's Birthday Bash: 30 Years of Children's BBC
Herself
One-off episode
Don't Tell the Bride
Narrator
1 series
The Nation's Favourite '80s Number One
Narrator
One-off episode
2016
Can't Touch This
Co-presenter
1 series; with Ashley Banjo
The Nation's Favourite Carpenters Song
Narrator
One-off episode
Film 2016
Guest presenter
1 episode
2017
Saturday Mash-Up!
Guest
1 episode
The Big Family Cooking Showdown
Co-presenter
1 series; with Nadiya Hussain
2018
Zoe Ball's Hardest Road Home
One-off
Zoe Ball on.. /Sunday
Presenter
1 series + Christmas specials
2020
The Big Night In
Co-presenter
2020–present
Celebrity Gogglebox
Herself
5 series; with son Woody Fred Cook
2021
The Masked Dancer
Contestant
Llama, revealed in Episode 5
The Wheel
Participant
Christmas special
2023
Queen of Oz
Herself
1 episode (Ep 1)
Mamma Mia! I Have a Dream
Presenter
Talent show
2025
VE Day 80: A Celebration to Remember
Presenter
Concert
2026
Just One Thing
Co-presenter
With Clive Myrie and Roman Kemp
Who Do You Think You Are?
Herself
One episode

References

  1. the Guardian
    2018
    https://www.theguardian.com/media/2018/oct/05/zoe-ball-profile-i-feel-a-crazy-mix-of-elation-and-wanting-to-run-away
  2. Hannah Stephenson, "Johnny Ball: Children's TV and the lost years of daughter Zoe Ball", Chester Chronicle, 29 June 2009
    https://web.archive.org/web/20131203232032/http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/whats-on/film-tv/johnny-ball-childrens-tv-lost-5222139
  3. Brainyquote
    2024
    https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/zoe-ball-quotes
  4. Buckinghamshire Arts Society
    2022
    https://web.archive.org/web/20240129075900/https://bucksart.co.uk/bucksartnews/romeo-di-girolamo-pprba-rbsa-hon-baf-hon-wsa-ndd-bas-hon/
  5. The Independent
    1997
    https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/education-passedfailed-zoe-ball-1289333.html
  6. Bucks Free Press
    2006
    https://m.bucksfreepress.co.uk/news/683715.zöe_ball_holy_cross_was_like_movies/
  7. The Independent
    2012
    https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/zoe-ball-im-quite-loved-up-at-the-moment-8200783.html
  8. Digitalspy
    2016
    https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/news/a811842/zoe-ball-new-host-film-2016/
  9. Glamourmagazine
    2017
    https://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/gallery/kids-tv-presenters-90s-00s-where-are-they-now
  10. Thebroomcupboard
    2026
    https://thebroomcupboard.co.uk/presenterlist.html
  11. BBC
    2024
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2pKg6xtl2Mb6bz6S44X4Cr/12-things-we-learned-from-zoe-balls-desert-island-discs
  12. "TV Pop Diaries Articles - Take That"
    2017
    https://web.archive.org/web/20171223033853/https://www.tvpopdiaries.co.uk/takethat.html
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