‘We’ve never competed’: Zoe Ball insists she’s still close friends with Sara Cox despite beating her to replace Chris Evans on BBC Radio 2
- Zoe Ball said she and Sara Cox always supported each other in their careers
- Miss Ball took the slot to replace Chris Evans on BBC Radio 2’s breakfast show
- Miss Cox, 44, has been confirmed as the new host of Radio 2’s Drivetime
She bagged the biggest job in radio over one of her closest friends.
But Zoe Ball has said she and Sara Cox have always supported each other in their careers, despite competing for the same positions – most recently in the bid to replace Chris Evans on BBC Radio 2’s breakfast show.
Miss Ball, 48, snagged the slot while Miss Cox, 44, was confirmed as the new host of Radio 2’s Drivetime.
Close: Zoe Ball, right, and Sara Cox. Miss Ball has said she and Miss Cox have always supported each other in their careers
Miss Ball told the Radio Times she and Miss Cox are ‘old buddies’
Miss Ball, a mother-of-two, told the Radio Times: ‘We spoke a lot during the whole process. We’re old buddies and we’ve always been really supportive of each other. Sometimes she gets jobs I’ve wanted. We always talk. It worked out.’
Miss Ball previously revealed she will ‘definitely not’ be paid as much as Evans was, but said she was ‘very, very happy’ with her salary.
Evans topped the list of the BBC’s highest paid stars in 2017 – earning up to £2.25million – and came second on last year’s list.
In 2017, it was revealed that Miss Ball earned up to £300,000. Both women’s salaries will be published next year – if they exceed the £150,000 threshold.