Former BBC Radio 2 presenter Zoe Ball has announced her new role, just weeks after missing out on becoming one of the new hosts of Strictly Come Dancing09:41, 01 Jul 2026Updated 09:41, 01 Jul 2026Zoe Ball has opened up about her true feelings on her new radio job after missing out on a hosting role on Strictly Come Dancing. From September 7, the 55-year-old will host a new weekday afternoon show on Greatest Hits Radio.‌Speaking about the role on the Dig It podcast, which she co-hosts, Zoe admitted she has mixed feelings as she prepares for the "scary" next chapter of her career.‌"I'm so excited," she revealed. "You know how it's been, I lost [my] mum and I was like, 'I want to take some time to be there for my girl' [her daughter Nelly] because I've always worked and never been around.‌"And, as I've sort of said on the podcast actually, I've been around and she's a bit like, 'What are you still doing here?'"And she's finished her GCSEs now, she's loving her freedom and I think also when the [Strictly Come] Dancing thing didn't happen as well, I was a bit like, 'Right, what am I going to do?'"I mean that was a long shot but having not worked, you suddenly start thinking, 'Okay yeah I do need to go to work'."‌Discussing the appeal of her new 1pm to 4pm slot, Zoe said the role was too good an opportunity to turn down."It's a lovely shift, it's 1 until 4, which is great because it means I get to be mum in the morning and mum in the evening, if I need to, and be around if she needs me, so that's good," she added.‌The show marks Zoe's debut on Greatest Hits Radio, where she will join a line-up featuring her former BBC Radio 2 colleagues Ken Bruce and Simon Mayo."I get nervous about being the new girl again, but it's all good," she confessed."I'll be playing great music from the 70s, 80s and 90s. At Greatest Hits Radio, they are a lovely team, they are such a brilliant team. They are such a brilliant station, they're really good folk and they have taken me on."‌She went on to say: "It was just too good to turn down, I was like, 'Actually this is great', so I'm going to be back behind the mic, five days a week. We will still be podding, do not fear diggers!"Zoe also took the opportunity to thank her BBC Radio 2 team for their support over the years, giving special praise to the station's head, Helen Thomas.‌The presenter previously hosted BBC Radio 2's Breakfast Show before moving to a Saturday afternoon programme.Earlier this year, Zoe also auditioned to become one of the new hosts of Strictly Come Dancing, but was unsuccessful.It has since been announced that Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe will take over presenting duties from Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman.Article continues belowReflecting on the disappointment, Zoe said on the podcast: "I didn't get it, but it's okay. I have worked through the seven stages of grief and rejection over the last couple of days."Ahead of the new hosts being announced, she added at the time: "If it's who I think has got it, we're in safe hands and our new hosts are going to be fabulous. I'm so thrilled for them, and hopefully at a later date, we'll be able to talk about them in more detail."