‘I’ve been very blessed in my career,’ Zoe Ball, 55, tells us while heading home from a day on site at Reading Festival.
The broadcaster and first female host of both BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 2 breakfast shows is a pioneer to say the least.
Zoe stepped down from her Radio 2 show back in December 2025, with Emma Willis stepping in to take over. Months later the TV star said she experienced ‘grief and rejection’ after missing out on landing the job of Strictly Come Dancing host.
‘Emma’s amazing, we’ve known each other for years. It’s what happens,’ she tells Metro.
‘People do shows for a while, and then someone else does a show for a while. If Claudia Winkleman hadn’t stepped aside on It Takes Two, I’d never have got to do it. If Emma Forbes hadn’t left Live & Kicking, I would never have got to do it. So, it’s just a natural progression in radio and television. It’s what happens. It’s wonderful. And you need that evolution in telly.’
Now working on Greatest Hits Radio, Zoe tells us she feels ‘really lucky’ to have sat down with some of the biggest names in the business over the last 30 years.
‘Occasionally you get people who are a bit monosyllabic or not in the mood for a chat. More of the nightmares are technical, like when the tape wasn’t running and you’ve done a really good interview and you’ve done your best work, but on the whole, I’ve talked to all sorts of amazing people that I’m proud of,’ Zoe says.
‘I suppose Madonna was quite tricky because it was a bit scary and intimidating. Some of my favourites, particularly, are Barbara Streisand, Dame Julie Andrews, and Dame Judi Dench. I call them my Holy Trinity. I love speaking to Sir Paul McCartney. He always has stories to tell and he’s really generous with his time.’
But one interview in particular is brought up time and time again. Her 1994 chat with Noel and Liam Gallagher for the BBC music show The O-Zone shortly after the release of their debut album Definitely Maybe.
‘People take the mickey out of me for that interview everywhere I go,’ she laughs.
‘And my kids always ask “Mum, what are you wearing?” I was wearing a Kangol hat and a tracksuit top!’
Reminiscing on the interview she says: ‘But they were so charismatic, both Noel and Liam. I just remember being so in awe of them. There is something about them. I haven’t interviewed them together in a long time, but whenever either of them would come on my radio show, you just knew you were going to have so much fun.
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‘They’re really open and honest, brutally so sometimes. But they are great lads and I’m a huge fan. It was amazing to go and see them live last year, it was an emotional night. I’m going to a screening of the documentary soon and can’t wait. I really do adore them.’
Known for her love of music, Zoe is still a festival lover and has clearly passed that down to her two children; son Woody, 25, and daughter Nelly, 16.
