Zoe Ball has reportedly lined up a major new radio role after losing out on the chance to front Strictly Come Dancing.
In May, it was finally confirmed that Emma Willis, Johannes Radebe, and Josh Widdicombe will be the new hosts of the BBC program.
Ball, 55, had been strongly linked to the role following the departure of long-time presenter Claudia Winkleman, with many fans viewing her as a natural successor given her long history with the BBC dancing franchise.
The decision reportedly left Ball disappointed, although she has publicly supported the trio.
Now, after missing out on the role, the former BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show host is said to be joining Greatest Hits Radio later this year, marking her return to the airwaves just months after stepping away from her long-running BBC role.
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According to reports, the broadcaster decided to take up the opportunity after discovering she would not be landing the coveted Strictly hosting gig.
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.
‘She absolutely loves being a radio presenter, and after stepping away from her BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show a year ago, she took time to think about what she wanted.
‘She knows so many people at the commercial station and can’t wait to get started.’
The move would see Ball following in the footsteps of several high-profile BBC radio stars who have swapped the corporation for Greatest Hits Radio in recent years, including Ken Bruce and Simon Mayo.
For many listeners, Ball’s departure from Radio 2 at the end of 2025 marked the end of an era, as the presenter had fronted the station’s flagship breakfast programme since 2019, becoming the first woman to permanently host the show.
After announcing her departure, she said she wanted to spend more time with family and focus on other projects.
Meanwhile, Ball has been characteristically gracious about missing out on Strictly.
Speaking on her Dig It podcast with Jo Whiley, she joked that she was currently ‘working through the seven stages of grief and rejection’ following the decision.
But any disappointment appeared short-lived. ‘I’m so thrilled for them,’ she said of the new presenting team.
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‘And hopefully at a later date, we’ll be able to talk about them in more detail.’
She added: ‘I was so chuffed to even be in the mix. There were some pretty amazing people who didn’t even make it into the mix.’
Ball’s connection to Strictly stretches back nearly two decades. She competed on the show as a celebrity contestant in 2005 before becoming one of the faces of spin-off programme It Takes Two, which she hosted from 2011 until 2021.
Her experience with the format made her one of the bookmakers’ favourites whenever speculation began over who might inherit the main presenting role.
While that opportunity may have passed her by, a move to Greatest Hits Radio would give Ball a high-profile new platform and reunite her with many familiar faces from the commercial radio world.
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