Zoe Ball returns to Radio 2 breakfast show and addresses absence after extended break

No reason has been given for her absence but she told listeners she had 'wandered back'

Zoe Ball returned to her Radio 2 breakfast show on Monday and quickly assured a cheeky listener she hadn't been to Turkey for a new face and teeth. The presenter has been on extended leave from the morning show with Scott Mills and Gaby Roslin taking over for more than six weeks.

When assuming control of the breakfast show on August 12, Scott reassured listeners, who were suddenly surprised by his voice at 6:30am instead of Zoe's, saying: "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."

No reason was given for her absence but she did return on Monday, September 23, and opened the show saying: "Morning gorgeous people. It is 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. Brining back memories. Have you been enjoying some of the gorgeous sunsets over the past couple of weeks? It is a tad soggy. Thank you to my dear friend Scott Mills for looking after you. I have missed ya."

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She had confirmed her return on Sunday night posting on X: "Back on breakfast tomorrow morning at 6:30." She also thanked Scott Mills and DJ Spoony for "putting in the mega shifts".

"You do look great though," newsreader Tina Daheley told her. Zoe said she had 'so much gossip' to catch up on, but joked some of that would have to be reserved for off-air conversations with her fellow presenters.

Zoe, 53, took over the morning programme in 2019 from Chris Evans. She was the first female host of the Radio 1 Breakfast Show in 1998, a post she held until 2000.