Zoe Ball has reportedly accepted a new role with Greatest Hits Radio, just days after missing out on the lead presenter job for Strictly Come Dancing. The former BBC Radio 2 host is expected to join the commercial station in the autumn, following in the footsteps of former colleagues Simon Mayo and Ken Bruce.
Ball had put her name forward for the Strictly presenting role, but bosses chose Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe instead. A source told 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.”
Speaking on her Dig It podcast with Jo Whiley, Ball said she was “working through the seven stages of grief and rejection” but praised the new presenters, describing them as “fabulous” and saying the show is in “safe hands”. She added: “I was so chuffed to even be in the mix.”
Ball previously appeared on Strictly as a contestant and hosted its spin-off, Strictly: It Takes Two, until 2021. Meanwhile, the upcoming series will see the judging panel remain unchanged, with Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke returning. Five professional dancers have left the show, including Gorka Márquez and Karen Hauer.
