1. Zoe Ball 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.
47 Facts About Zoe Ball
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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.
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Zoe Ball hosted the Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour in 2011 and 2015.
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Zoe Louise Ball was born on 23 November 1970 in Blackpool, Lancashire.
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Zoe Ball is the daughter of the children's TV presenter Johnny Ball and his wife Julia.
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The couple divorced when Zoe Ball was two, and she was raised with her father.
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Zoe Ball was educated at Heston Junior School in the district of Hounslow between 1975 and 1978.
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Zoe Ball attended the Young Theatre at Beaconsfield where she trained as an actress.
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Zoe Ball began her television career as a presenter on the pre-school programme Playdays.
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Zoe Ball became a runner at Granada Television and researcher for Cool Cube, a children's Saturday afternoon magazine show, produced at Granada's studio in Manchester, by Clear Idea Television, and broadcast on the British Satellite Broadcasting channel Galaxy.
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In 1995, Zoe Ball hosted Fully Booked for the first series.
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Zoe Ball's presenting jobs have included hosting The Big Breakfast on Channel 4,.
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Zoe Ball co-hosted the 2002 Brit Awards with Frank Skinner, In 2005, she co-hosted the BBC reality show Strictly Dance Fever.
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In 2006, Zoe Ball co-hosted the ITV programme Extinct, alongside Trevor McDonald.
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In January 2007, Zoe Ball presented the second series of ITV's Soapstar Superstar, taking over from Fern Britton and Ben Shephard, who hosted the first series.
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Alongside Jamie Theakston, Zoe Ball presented Channel 5's quiz series Britain's Best Brain in 2009.
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Zoe Ball has guest presented several episodes of The One Show as a stand-in for Alex Jones.
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In November 2013, Zoe Ball co-hosted the BBC One Children in Need telethon, alongside Sir Terry Wogan, Fearne Cotton, Nick Grimshaw and Tess Daly.
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In 2014, Zoe Ball presented a BBC Two spin-off from The Voice UK called The Voice: Louder on Two.
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In 2015, Zoe Ball hosted EastEnders: Backstage Live, a spin-off show during the EastEnders live week.
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Zoe Ball co-presented the BBC Young Dancer competition with Darcey Bussell on BBC Two.
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Zoe Ball narrated two ITV specials, The Nation's Favourite '70s Number One and The Nation's Favourite '80s Number One, as well as the BBC One series Don't Tell the Bride.
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In 2016, Zoe Ball co-presented Can't Touch This, a Saturday night game show for BBC One, alongside Ashley Banjo.
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Zoe Ball narrated The Nation's Favourite Carpenters Song, and guest-presented an episode of Film 2016.
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In 2017, Zoe Ball co-presented The Big Family Cooking Showdown with Nadiya Hussain on BBC Two.
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Since 2020, Zoe Ball has appeared alongside her son Woody Fred Cook on Celebrity Gogglebox.
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In 2021, Zoe Ball appeared on The Masked Dancer, masked as Llama.
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In 2023, Zoe Ball appeared as herself in Episode 1 of the BBC One comedy Queen of Oz.
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Zoe Ball is seen and heard on her radio programme questioning the outrageous antics of spoiled spare to the British crown, Princess Georgiana, played by Catherine Tate.
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In 2024, Zoe Ball appeared as a panellist on the "New Year's Treat" episode of Taskmaster for that year.
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In October 2005, Zoe Ball became a contestant on the third series of the BBC One talent show Strictly Come Dancing, where she was partnered by Ian Waite.
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In 2011, Zoe Ball took over from Claudia Winkleman as the host of Strictly Come Dancings sister show It Takes Two, airing every weeknight on BBC Two; in 2014, whilst Winkleman was on leave after her daughter suffered serious burn injuries, Zoe Ball co-hosted the main show.
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On 17 May 2021, Zoe Ball announced she was leaving her role as presenter after 10 years.
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Zoe Ball became the sole host, the first female DJ to do so.
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Zoe Ball was twice warned by the BBC for swearing on the radio.
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Zoe Ball's final show was on 10 March 2000; she was succeeded by Sara Cox.
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Zoe Ball returned to radio in mid-2002 when she joined London radio station Xfm, where she presented the weekday drivetime show until December 2003.
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Zoe Ball stood in for Ricky Gervais while he filmed the second series of The Office.
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In 2009, Zoe Ball became the usual relief presenter for Ken Bruce's weekday mid-morning show on BBC Radio 2.
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Zoe Ball left Radio 2 for a while as her last show was broadcast on Saturday 28 January 2012.
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Zoe Ball covered The Radio 2 Breakfast Show for Chris Evans on several occasions.
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On 23 September 2024, Zoe Ball announced she was returning to Radio 2, six weeks after announcing a break from the show.
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Whilst at BBC Radio 1, Zoe Ball began a relationship with the DJ and musician Norman Cook, known as Fatboy Slim.
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In 2003, Zoe Ball and Cook separated when Zoe Ball revealed that she had an affair; they later reconciled.
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On 24 September 2016, Cook and Zoe Ball announced their separation after 18 years together.
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Between 2017 and 2023, Zoe Ball was in a relationship with fashion model and carpenter Michael Reed.
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In March 2018, Zoe Ball took part in the 'Hardest Ride Home' challenge in which she cycled from Blackpool to Brighton to raise money for Sport Relief and mental health awareness.