This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . The next check for changes will be
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c861w2g71plo
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| BBC Radio 2 breakfast show's audience drops after Zoe Ball's exit | BBC Radio 2 breakfast show's audience drops after Zoe Ball's exit |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Scott Mills took over from Zoe Ball, who hosted the breakfast show for six years, in January | Scott Mills took over from Zoe Ball, who hosted the breakfast show for six years, in January |
| The BBC Radio 2 breakfast show lost more than 360,000 listeners following Zoe Ball's exit, new audience figures show. | The BBC Radio 2 breakfast show lost more than 360,000 listeners following Zoe Ball's exit, new audience figures show. |
| The presenter hosted her final breakfast programme in December after six years in the slot, and recently took up a new role fronting Saturday afternoons on the station. | The presenter hosted her final breakfast programme in December after six years in the slot, and recently took up a new role fronting Saturday afternoons on the station. |
| After her departure, DJ Mark Goodier covered the show for most of January, until new host Scott Mills took over at the end of that month. | After her departure, DJ Mark Goodier covered the show for most of January, until new host Scott Mills took over at the end of that month. |
| Radio 2 still comfortably has the most popular breakfast show in the UK, attracting an audience of 6.45 million between January and March, a 5% drop on the previous quarter, according to industry ratings body Rajar. | Radio 2 still comfortably has the most popular breakfast show in the UK, attracting an audience of 6.45 million between January and March, a 5% drop on the previous quarter, according to industry ratings body Rajar. |
| Ball had added more than 200,000 listeners during her final three months on the programme. | Ball had added more than 200,000 listeners during her final three months on the programme. |
| After taking over the breakfast show, Mills was replaced on his former afternoon slot by Trevor Nelson, whose evening programme was taken over by DJ Spoony. | After taking over the breakfast show, Mills was replaced on his former afternoon slot by Trevor Nelson, whose evening programme was taken over by DJ Spoony. |
| Vernon Kay attracted an audience of 6.73 million in the first three months of 2025, meaning his mid-morning show retained its crown as the most popular radio programme in the UK. | Vernon Kay attracted an audience of 6.73 million in the first three months of 2025, meaning his mid-morning show retained its crown as the most popular radio programme in the UK. |
| The show is down, however, on the audience of 8.2 million achieved by his predecessor Ken Bruce, who left in 2023. | The show is down, however, on the audience of 8.2 million achieved by his predecessor Ken Bruce, who left in 2023. |
| Trevor Nelson (left) took over Mills' afternoon slot, while Vernon Kay hosts the station's popular mid-morning show | Trevor Nelson (left) took over Mills' afternoon slot, while Vernon Kay hosts the station's popular mid-morning show |
| The station's weekly audience fell by about half a million compared with its previous total of 13.65 million in the final quarter of 2024, according to Rajar. | |
| Radio 2 chief Helen Thomas said: "In a quarter which saw Radio 2 launch a new daytime schedule in late January, host some of the world's most loved musicians in the Piano Room throughout February, and celebrate country music in March, I'm thrilled that Radio 2 remains the UK's most popular radio station with 13.11m listeners each week." | Radio 2 chief Helen Thomas said: "In a quarter which saw Radio 2 launch a new daytime schedule in late January, host some of the world's most loved musicians in the Piano Room throughout February, and celebrate country music in March, I'm thrilled that Radio 2 remains the UK's most popular radio station with 13.11m listeners each week." |
| Listening figures often drop after major schedule changes, and Ball herself lost nearly 800,000 listeners in 2019 after Chris Evans' departure. | Listening figures often drop after major schedule changes, and Ball herself lost nearly 800,000 listeners in 2019 after Chris Evans' departure. |
| The breakfast show regularly attracted more than nine million listeners during Evans' tenure. That figure has not been matched since, although radio audiences have become increasingly fragmented in recent years. | The breakfast show regularly attracted more than nine million listeners during Evans' tenure. That figure has not been matched since, although radio audiences have become increasingly fragmented in recent years. |
| The BBC, and Radio 2 in particular, went through a tumultuous period around 2022, which saw several high-profile figures leave the station, either by choice or through schedule shake-ups. | The BBC, and Radio 2 in particular, went through a tumultuous period around 2022, which saw several high-profile figures leave the station, either by choice or through schedule shake-ups. |
| Matt Deegan, host of the Media Podcast and creative director of consultancy firm Folder Media, told BBC News: "In the grand scheme of things, a drop this small for such a big change shows the strength of the Radio 2 brand and Scott's appeal with listeners. | |
| “However the challenge for him and his team is to take nothing for granted and keep working to deliver a show that existing and new listeners will like. There's never been more competition for that audience.” | |
| Elsewhere, Heart's breakfast show, hosted by Jamie Theakston and Amanda Holden, has seen its audience rise by 250,000 listeners. | Elsewhere, Heart's breakfast show, hosted by Jamie Theakston and Amanda Holden, has seen its audience rise by 250,000 listeners. |
| It attracted a record audience of 4.3 million in the first quarter of the year, cementing its status as the most popular commercial breakfast show in the UK. | It attracted a record audience of 4.3 million in the first quarter of the year, cementing its status as the most popular commercial breakfast show in the UK. |
| Meanwhile, Gok Wan's first three months co-hosting Magic Radio's breakfast show, alongside Harriet Scott, saw the programme marginally increase its audience to 862,000. | Meanwhile, Gok Wan's first three months co-hosting Magic Radio's breakfast show, alongside Harriet Scott, saw the programme marginally increase its audience to 862,000. |
| However, it is still significantly down on the 1.2 million listeners it had a year ago, when it was fronted by former Boyzone singer Ronan Keating. | However, it is still significantly down on the 1.2 million listeners it had a year ago, when it was fronted by former Boyzone singer Ronan Keating. |
| Capital's breakfast show, hosted by Jordan North, was down by 140,000 listeners after a leap in listeners following his arrival last year. | Capital's breakfast show, hosted by Jordan North, was down by 140,000 listeners after a leap in listeners following his arrival last year. |
| And after a loss of more than a quarter of a million in 2024, Kiss Breakfast, hosted by Jordan Banjo and Perri Kiely, climbed by 80,000 in the latest quarter. | And after a loss of more than a quarter of a million in 2024, Kiss Breakfast, hosted by Jordan Banjo and Perri Kiely, climbed by 80,000 in the latest quarter. |