Zoe Ball sends support to Lauren Laverne and Jamie Theakston on Radio 2 return
What did you miss?
Zoe Ball has sent messages of love and support to her "breakfast friends" Lauren Laverne and Jamie Theakston as she made her return to radio after a six-week absence.
The BBC Radio 2 breakfast show host has been on an unexplained extended break, but was welcomed back by listeners on Monday morning - and said of Laverne and Theakston, who have both had recent cancer diagnoses "the love I got to me, I send back to them".
Ball thanked Scott Mills for standing in as her replacement and joked with listeners that she had not been "to Turkey for a new face and teeth". She added that the support she had received from colleagues and listeners "meant the world" to her.
What, how, and why?
Ball has been absent from her BBC Radio 2 breakfast show for six weeks but made a welcome return on Monday morning where she thanked listeners for their support and said she wanted to pass on the love she had received to two fellow breakfast presenters.
BBC Radio 6 Music's Lauren Laverne and Heart Radio's Jamie Theakston have both recently shared that they have been diagnosed with cancer, and Ball wished them well in their recoveries.
During Monday morning's show, Ball thanked Scott Mills for covering her show and sent her love to Laverne and Theakston, saying: "Just want to say mega thanks to my friend, the newly crowned champion of Race Across The World Scott Mills."
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She added: "Just want to say thank you to him for looking after the show and of course Spoony for looking after Scott's show. He was supposed to go on holiday, he was DJing around the world, he had to change all his plans. He's been an absolute star, thank you boys for looking after everybody, and everyone here for being so supportive. Lots of you sent so many messages, listeners, they meant the world so thank you to you gorgeous ones.
"I must say while we're mentioning sending some love, our breakfast friends, Lauren Laverne over at 6 Music currently going through some cancer treatment, she's doing ok but I just wanted to send my whole heart out to her. And my dear Live & Kicking and The Priory mate Jamie Theakston who's also having some treatment for cancer at the moment, and he's going to be ok and he's doing well.
"Sending them both lots of love out there, so a lot of the love I got to me, I send back to them."
Ball's extended absence from the show has not been explained, but when Mills took over the show on 12 August he said: "If you set your alarm every morning to go off at 6:30am and normally Zoe comes on, please do not freak out. You have not overslept. 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."
What else did Zoe Ball say during her BBC Radio 2 return?
Ball kicked off her return show by immediately addressing her extended break, although she did not give any more information on why she had been off air.
In March, the star had shared that her mother Julia Peckham had been diagnosed with cancer and that she would be taking some time off work. She announced in April that her mother had died. Ball last hosted her breakfast show on 8 August.
Opening her comeback show on Monday, Ball said: "Morning gorgeous people it's me, Zo, the happy wanderer. I have wandered back. How was your brat summer? We did that back in the 90s, it was called something different then."
She added: "Thank you to the newly crowned champion of Race Across The World, my dear friend Scott Mills for looking after you for the last few weeks. I love you Scott."
Joking about one listener's message to the show, she said: "Thank you for your message, Gavin. No, I didn't go to Turkey for new face and teeth. What are you saying!"
Ball told listeners: "It's lovely to be back with you, thank you for all your gorgeous messages," and asked people to contact the show with their news from the last six weeks as she said she wanted to know what she had missed.
How did listeners react to Zoe Ball's return?
On Sunday, Ball posted on X where she confirmed her radio return: "back on breakfast @bbcradio2 tomorrow morning at 6:30 thanks to @scott_mills and @DJSpoony for putting in the mega shifts."
Radio 2 colleague Rylan threw his support behind her as he commented: "Welcome back Zo xxxx"
One fan wrote: "Oh Zoe how lovely to have you back - you’re very much loved by lots of people - I will be forever grateful to you for your lovely cheerfulness during lockdown. Thank you @scott_mills for keeping your seat warm."
Another person added: "Welcome back Zo hope you are feeling ok, loved Scott but he wasn’t you hope Richie is back too. Take it one day at a time roll on 6.30am."
Someone else commented: "Welcome back @ZoeTheBall beautiful lady. You have been missed, but you have to look after you first @scott_mills and @DJSpoony have done cracking jobs keeping your seat warm. Much love to you xx"
Another fan agreed: "How wonderful to hear this. We are all rooting for you - missed you!" Someone else wrote on X: "Love you @ZoeTheBall WELCOME BACK."
One listener commented: "Thank you Scott for doing a great job, so glad Zoe ok and back. Could you 2 do the breakfast show together?…"
Someone else added: "Scott you’ve done an amazing job sitting in for Zoe. Really enjoyed your breakfast shows x" Another fan wrote: "Absolutely loved you Scott! Zoe WELCOME BACK we missed you."
The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show airs on BBC Radio 2 at 6.30am on weekdays.
