Zoe Ball is walking on air as nine million still tune in to Radio 2 breakfast show

Zoe Ball is walking on air as nine million still tune in to Radio 2 breakfast show despite her fears she would ‘haemorrhage’ listeners after taking over from Chris Evans

  • Radio 2 host Zoe Ball retains nine million listeners after departure of Chris Evans
  • The 48-year old DJ took over the most popular show on British radio in January
  • Zoe Ball’s show is down 70,000 listeners compared to the same period last year

She may have feared a ‘haemorrhage’ of listeners after taking over the most popular show on British radio in January.

But new host Zoe Ball has managed to retain a weekly audience of 9.05million for the Radio 2 Breakfast Show following the departure of Chris Evans.

The 48-year-old DJ, pictured, is down just 20,000 listeners compared to Evans’ last stint in December, according to RAJAR figures for the first quarter of 2019.

New host Zoe Ball has managed to retain a weekly audience of 9.05million for the Radio 2 Breakfast Show following the departure of Chris Evans [File photo]

Compared to the same period last year, her show is down 70,000 listeners. 

The mother-of-two, who is reportedly paid £1.2million by the BBC since taking the job, said she was ‘supersized giddy’ that her show had performed so well. 

Earlier this week, she had said: ‘I do feel responsible for how it goes. I just hope that it’s not too horrendous – that we don’t haemorrhage listeners and we all have to start rethinking.’

Meanwhile, Evans brought in 1.05million weekly listeners for his new Virgin Radio Breakfast Show – seven times the station’s figures for the same period last year.

The father-of-five, 53, said: ‘I’m loving every minute of it.’

Chris Evans brought in 1.05million weekly listeners for his new Virgin Radio Breakfast Show – seven times the station’s figures for the same period last year [File photo]

Chris Evans brought in 1.05million weekly listeners for his new Virgin Radio Breakfast Show – seven times the station’s figures for the same period last year [File photo]

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