Zoe Ball’s Radio 2 replacement revealed as concerns mount for star over her unexplained absence from breakfast show

Scott Mills will stand in for Zoe Ball for another week on her Radio 2 Breakfast Show, as the star continues to take time off.

Schedules for Monday to Friday next week show that seasoned Radio 2 star Scott will cover the Breakfast Show, while DJ Spoony and OJ Borg take over his usual afternoon slot. 

Zoe hasn’t been on the airwaves since August 8, with Scott and Gabby Roslin stepping in for her since then.

Scott addressed his colleague’s absence on August 12, telling listeners that he was unexpectedly taking over.  

‘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,’ he told listeners, adding that he would be in the hotseat for awhile.

‘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,’ he said.   

Fans and colleagues of Zoe say they are concerned for the DJ, whose annual salary of £950,000 makes her the BBC’s highest-paid woman.

Before leaving her show in August, the star enjoyed a holiday to Ibiza with her son Woody and daughter Nelly and attended Brighton Pride. 

She then returned to work for three days before leaving the show.

The BBC has not offered any explanation for her absence, other than a spokeswoman saying last week that she will be back later this month.

Zoe last posted on Instagram on August 5 before disappearing. It featured a picture of her with her two children saying she was ‘jet lagged, brighton pride lagged [and] ibiza lagged’

The star, whose annual salary of £950,000 makes her the BBC ‘s highest-paid woman, last presented the programme more than a month ago, on August 8

Zoe, 53, has also been unusually quiet on social media with her last Instagram message posted on August 5. 

It featured a picture of her with her two children saying she was ‘jet lagged, brighton pride lagged [and] ibiza lagged’.

One BBC insider told The Mail on Sunday: ‘Nobody knows what has happened but everyone loves Zoe. 

‘We hope everything is okay. Zoe is so loved at the BBC so to not have her around is really noticeable.’

The Corporation is understood to have been contacted by fans concerned for her welfare. 

But some listeners have taken a dim view of her taking time off without explanation.

One tweeted: ‘Is this a BBC scandal, complete misuse of licence payers’ funds. 

‘Zoe Ball gets to pick and choose her contract terms and conditions.

‘She’s never at work, more holidays than you can imagine. Are we mugs paying for this? No comment.’

Gaby Roslin has also stood in for her, but the BBC has not offered any explanation for her absence, other than a spokeswoman saying last week that she will be back later this month

Another added: ‘Why are the BBC still paying Zoe Ball when she is still off air, just get rid of her for someone who does want to work early morning shift. ‘

In March, Zoe said she would be taking time off to care for her mother Julia Peckham, who had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. 

She died in April and the host returned to work on May 13. Last year, Ms Ball took three weeks off in Corfu to host Mamma Mia! I Have A Dream for rival ITV.