ZOE Ball’s son has opened up on her mysterious disappearance from Radio 2, after her as colleagues said “it’s all very tricky”.
The 52-year-old is scheduled to be back on the airwaves on September 23rd – with the Maximum Music Monday show.
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The listing reads: “Wake up and embrace the day with Zoe Ball and the team. Zoe keeps the tunes rolling on Maximum Music Monday.”
Zoe has not been on the The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show since she briefly returned to hosting on August 8, following a summer break.
Both Gaby Roslin and Scott Mills have been sitting in for Ball.
Now her son Woody has opened up about his mum and told the Mail Online: “My mum and I like to keep our private lives to ourselves but I will say I have stepped up and spent a lot more time with her recently as she has always been there when I’ve had tough times.
“I’m glad to see her smiling.”
It comes as the radio star’s team have remained quiet on the matter, apart from one source telling the Mail: “This is all very tricky.'”
Zoe is usually on air Monday to Friday from 6.30am for The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show.
However back in August she missed her show and was replaced by former Radio 1 presenter Scott Mills, 51.
The presenter was missing for five weeks before the BBC later issued a statement after Zoe vanished from her show.
Last week a spokesperson for the station told The Express: “Zoe will return to the Radio 2 Breakfast Show later this month.”
Scott told listeners that Zoe would be “back in a few weeks” – and a month after his comments, a fresh wave of concern has been sparked.
A source told MailOnline how mystery surrounds Zoe’s absence and said: “Nobody knows what has happened but everyone loves Zoe
“We hope everything is okay.
“Zoe is so loved at the BBC so to not have her around is really noticeable
Back in August Scott took over the show, and without addressing Zoe‘s circumstances directly, he confirmed the team were “sending their love.”
As he opened the three-hour episode at 630am, Scott said: “Good Morning.
“You weren’t expecting me were you? Welcome to Monday. It’s Scott Mills.”
Zoe Ball’s career so far
Zoe was born in Blackpool and is daughter of the children’s TV presenter Johnny Ball and his wife Julia.
She appeared on television at a young age as part of the studio audience of the Saturday morning children’s show, Saturday Superstore when her father was a guest.
The star began her career in broadcasting as a presenter on the pre-school programme Playdays.
After various behind the scenes roles, she earned a spot as a regular host of Top of the Pops, when she alternated with the likes of Jayne Middlemiss and Jo Whiley.
In 1996, she was chosen to front BBC One‘s saturday morning show Live & Kicking, which led to stints on The Big Breakfast on Channel 4.
But she maintained a huge presence on the radio as she was chosen to be the co-host of BBC Radio 1 Breakfast alongside Kevin Greening in October 1997.
Zoe was later appointed the sole host of the show in a groundbreaking move by the corporation as she was the first female DJ to hold the post.
The presenter chose to leave the station in March 2000 to start a family, where she was succeeded by Sara Cox.
As a mainstream face in TV through the noughties, she hosted a range of huge programmes for ITV, including the Brit Awards in 2002, Extinct in 2006, and both Soapstar Superstar and Grease Is The Word in 2007.
In mid-2002, she returned to radio when she joined Xfm (later known as Radio X), when she was the voice of the weekday drivetime show until December 2003. In 2004, she stood in for Ricky Gervais while he filmed the second series of The Office.
In October 2005, she appeared as a contestant on the third series of Strictly Come Dancing, where she was partnered with Ian Waite, The star impressed viewers with her footwork and the duo waltzed into third place.
In 2011, she returned to the franchise as she took over as the host of the magazine spin-off show, It Takes Two.
She also filled in for Claudia Winkleman on the main show in 2014, when The Traitors star took leave after her daughter suffered serious burn injuries.
After 10 years fronting the show, Zoe announced she was quitting her role on BBC Two in May 2021.
Zoe’s journey in BBC Radio 2 started in 2006 when she fronted specialist documentaries. Over the years she sat in for names such as Dermot O’Leary, Ken Bruce and Chris Evans.
After several shake-ups, she returned to the station on a permanent basis when she took over Dermot’s Saturday afternoon slot between 3pm and 6pm.
In October 2018, Chris Evans moved to Virgin Radio and he personally announced that Zoe would take over his popular slot. She started presenting the breakfast show on 14 January 2019.
He added: “If you set your alarm every morning to go off at 630am and normally Zoe comes on please do not freak out.
“You have not overslept. I’m here doing the Breakfast Show do not panic. It’s early.
“You aren’t late for work. It’s Monday 12th August.”
Later on, Scott emphasised Zoe’s absence and put: “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.”
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