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Zoe Ball 'wanders back' to Radio 2 breakfast show

BBC Zoe Ball in the BBC Radio 2 studios in 2019BBC
Zoe Ball has been absent from the Radio 2 breakfast show since 8 August

Zoe Ball has returned to BBC Radio 2, more than six weeks after she took a break from presenting the breakfast show.

The station's afternoon presenter Scott Mills has been hosting the station's flagship programme in recent weeks in Ball's absence.

Before her return on Monday, Ball had not presented the programme since 8 August.

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

"How was your Brat summer?" she joked. "Was it marvellous? We did that in the 90s it was called something different then."

She thanked Scott Mills for "looking after the show" in her absence and there would be "more on that later".

However, Ball has not directly addressed the reason for her absence.

She added that she hadn't gone to Turkey for "a new face and teeth", after a listener jokingly texted in to suggest that was where she had been.

Later in the show, Ball said she was "sending lots of love" to her friends Lauren Laverne and Jamie Theakston.

Both broadcasters have announced cancer diagnoses in recent weeks, with Ball telling listeners they are both having treatment and are "doing well".

Zoe Ball and Kylie Minogue posing for a photograph when the singer came on the Radio 2 Breakfast show.
The broadcaster interviewed Kylie Minogue in July, shortly before taking a summer break

Ball's recent absence was unexpected, with some listeners noting it came after Ball had already taken a recent holiday.

A BBC Radio 2 spokesperson said over the weekend: "We are looking forward to welcoming Zoe back to the Radio 2 Breakfast Show."

Ball had confirmed she would return in a post on X on Sunday.

The DJ also thanked fellow presenters Mills and DJ Spoony for filling in for her.

On his first show standing in for Ball, Mills did not explain why Ball was off, and greeted listeners on his first day by saying simply: "Good Morning. You weren't expecting me were you? Welcome to Monday. It's Scott Mills.

"If you set your alarm every morning to go off at 6.30 and normally Zoe comes on please do not freak out. You have not overslept. I'm here doing the breakfast show, do not panic."

Ball has presented Radio 2's breakfast show since 2019, when she took over from Chris Evans, who had fronted it for nine years.

She was the first female breakfast show host in Radio 2's history. She was also the first female host of the Radio 1 Breakfast Show, which she presented for two years from 1998.