Zoe Ball has landed a new job after narrowly missing out on becoming the host of Strictly Come Dancing.
The radio presenter, 55, who left her Radio 2 breakfast show late last year after almost six years, is said to have bagged a new slot on rival, Greatest Hits Radio.
She will join her former colleagues including Ken Bruce, who hosted a weekday mid-morning show on BBC Radio 2 between 1986 and 2023, and Simon Mayo.
Zoe missed out on the coveted Strictly hosting role to trio, Emma Willis, 50, Josh Widdicombe, 43, and Johannes Radebe, 39.
They will take over the ballroom dance competition in September after long-serving hosts Tess Daly, 57, and Claudia Winkleman, 54, quit last year.
Of Zoe’s next career venture, 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.
Zoe Ball has landed a new job after narrowly missing out on becoming the host of Strictly Come Dancing
‘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. She is due to join the station this autumn.’
The Daily Mail has contacted Zoe’s representatives and Greatest Hits for comment.
Last month, Zoe explained why she’s ‘glad’ she didn’t get the Strictly Come Dancing host job as she joked she ‘doesn’t need to have a facelift now’.
After revealing she screen tested with Josh, Zoe joked she’s just happy she ‘doesn’t have to get a facelift’ as she won’t be starring in front of the camera.
She said: ‘I screen tested with Josh and he is hilarious. He is going to be so good. Emma is just gorgeous and I love Johannes, so they are going to ace it.’
Zoe continued to The Sun: ‘And I don’t have to have a facelift, so I’m quite happy.’
Earlier this month, Zoe, who previously hosted Strictly spin-off It Takes Two, announced she ‘didn’t get’ the gig and is ‘working through the seven stages of grief and rejection’.
Does Strictly need three hosts, or is this just making the show more complicated and less memorable?
Zoe missed out on the coveted Strictly hosting role to trio, Emma Willis, 50, Josh Widdicombe, 43, and Johannes Radebe, 39
Despite missing out on the gig, Zoe said she is ‘thrilled’ for the people who got the role and insisted the BBC has made the ‘right decision’.
Speaking on her Dig It podcast with Jo Whiley, Zoe said: ‘I didn’t get it, but it’s OK.’
She continued: ‘I have worked through the seven stages of grief and rejection over the last couple of days.
‘No, I didn’t get it. But I tell you what, 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.’
After much speculation over who would step into Tess and Claudia’s shoes, Emma, Josh and Johannes were announced in a tradition-busting decision by bosses to have three hosts after 22 years of having a two-person hosting team.
Nine shortlisted stars were summoned to a top-secret location in London to battle it out in full-scale dress rehearsals with a judging panel and live band.
BBC bosses forced the stars to sign strict NDAs to keep the tryouts under wraps and are hoping to announce a decision soon.
Among those confirmed to be in the callbacks were Rylan, Emma, Tom Allen and Alex Jones.
The Beeb has recently given an insight into what fans can expect for the 24th series of the much-loved programme.
The likes of Dianne Buswell, 37, Nancy Xu, 34, Vito Coppola, 33, Julian Caillon, 30, Carlos Gu, 33, Lauren Oakley, 35, Amy Dowden, 35, Katya Jones, 36, Neil Jones, 44, Nikita Kuzmin, 28, Jowita Przystał, 31, Johannes Radebe, 39, Aljaž Škorjanec, 36, Alexis Warr, 25, and Kai Widdrington, 30, will be returning to the dance floor this year.
