The BBC and Zoe Ball are currently negotiating over a new contract which will see Zoe take over from Chris Evans on the Radio 2 breakfast show.
A report in the Sun says a contract is expected to be signed within the next two weeks which will see Zoe handed a significant pay rise. If Zoe refuses, it will be offered to Sara Cox.
The report appears to be backed up by a quote from a BBC source, which says: “We are in advanced negotiations with Zoe to replace Chris. A contract hasn’t been signed and her new pay hasn’t yet been agreed. But she was our number one choice and has been offered the job.
“If Zoe turns it down it will be offered to Sara, guaranteeing there will be a female hosting our flagship radio show for the first time.”
10:27 UPdate: An official spokesperson from the BBC has since told RadioToday: “We are considering and talking to a number of people. We haven’t made a decision and we’ll make an announcement when we have.”
Blackpool-born Zoe hosted the BBC Radio 1 breakfast show 1997 to 2000, for the first year with co-host Kevin Greening.
Zoe Ball is a hottie and she will makwe a giid addition ti radio 2 bbc breakfast
Good luck to her or Sarah Cox as it appears due to current BBC policy it has to be a female presenter whether they are the best fit or not (and in the past it was the case that female listeners used to tune-away from women presenters).In any case for the most part the station has been turned into a pop station rather than the easy listening station I knew and loved .I sometimes don’t know whether I’m listening to Radio 1 or 2 these days from the song playing-loud current pop hits often scream out of the speakers on either.My comments aren’t sexist -I can’t stand Evans or Wright either and prefer Zoe to either but this quota thing with women and ethnic minorities having to seemingly have a percentage of shows regardless of how they actually sound seems wrong to me-it should be solely on ability whatever the gender or race.
What makes you think they aren’t the best people for the job.
They could get the best and most popular DJ in the world in that slot…. and people like you would still bleat about quotas
In my mind there’s only 3 people ideal for that slot and two are Sara or Zoe (Simon Mayo is the other) it’s not a quota, it’s just who there is to do it.
Rubbish. There are plenty of other presenters not just national but local too who’d be more than up to the job. Neither Cox nor Ball have ever been top quality presenters but just rode the ladette wave in the 90s, and its fairly obvious the only reason they’re in the running for this gig is because of their gender, not their abilities.
Agreed on all counts!
Delighted to hear that Zoe Ball is in talks with BBC. Hope she gets a good pay rise.
Good Luck Zoe you deserve this. You are so good on It takes two, and on radio programmes you have covered. Go girl x
I’m not saying who is best for the job,but it is the case that the BBC has been reported to be aiming to have a 50-50 gender split in the near future be it DJ’s,Journalists or whatever.Therefore if a station currently has more shows presented by men they are going to be looking for a female to do any vacant slots-that’s what I meant.
Any commercial organisation that based its recruitment on what people have or don’t have between their legs rather than their ability to do the job will soon be circling the toilet bowel. But of course the BBC gets a nice fat handout from the license fee regardless of how crap it becomes. Fair? Discuss.
AT LAST a Radio 2 Decision that is not below the intelligence level of an amoeba.
Really hope Zoe gets the deal she wants for breakfast. Next intelligent move give Sara Cox the afternoon slot. Or if Zoe end up not wanting breakfast then give it to Sara and offer Zoe the afternoons.
Is it true Jeremy Vine will be having an operation next week to address the male/female gender balance on Radio 2 daytimes?
Is she really the best they can do? The whole programme will become twitter obsessed and about her family, other TV projects and the like. Why do the Beeb not look outside their little bubble and see if there is alternative talent out there?
R2 is going down the pipes with its repetitive, formula driven format. Give me Absolute any day.
I think we should also brace ourselves for the possibility of Scott Mills.
From a male big mouth, to a female big mouth.
Desperation measures.
Give Simon Mayo the job and get him away from the odious Jo Whiney
I agree with Adrian that there’s too much similarity between what Radio 1 and Radio 2 play these days.
Radio 2 should play less current chart hits than what Radio 1 plays and the chart hits they do play should be less dance-oriented and more easier listening. For example, anything involving Calvin Harris should be more for Radio 1 to play and only played on Radio 2 on some of their evening shows like on Trevor Nelson’s or Ana Matronic’s Saturday night shows.
As for the Radio 2 breakfast show, I don’t see why Zoe and Sara can’t share the breakfast show, likewise on other breakfast shows as I think it’s a lot to ask for someone having to wake up so early in the morning 5 days a week.
Say one week Zoe does Monday to Wednesday, Sara does Thursday & Friday.
Next week Sara does Monday to Wednesday, Zoe does Thursday & Friday then Monday to Wednesday of the next week and so on.