BBC Radio 2 listeners joked they had forgotten who Chris Evans is as Zoe Ball kicked off her first breakfast show.
Ball, 48, was presented with a fry-up inspired cake as she took the helm to become the station’s first female weekday breakfast host on Monday morning following Evan’s departure in December.
Ball opened with Aretha Franklin’s Respect, telling listeners: “Good morning Radio 2 superstar listeners, here we go.”
She continued: “And, relax. After all the build-up, and the chat and the preamble, the big day is finally here. We are so super-excited. I'm ready, the prod squad team are ready.”
Fans were excited for Ball’s debut with one saying they had been reduced to tears by her opening song choice, while another said they had “finally returned to being a #radio2listener”.
One tweeted: “Chris who? Well done @ZoeTheBall amazing first show with amazing music and you even have @TinaDaheley yaaasss! Gutted I have to get out my car and stop listening but work calls! #ZoeBall.”
Another wrote: “#zoeball first track brought tears to my eye. Woman doing breakfast on radio 2 and Aretha playing! #Womenonradio #radio2 (sic).”
But others were less than impressed and said they were counting down the days until Evans kicks off his new breakfast show on Virgin Radio, with some taking aim at Ball’s new features.
One tweeted: “Please, please stop this show. Whomever thought Zoe was a good replacement for Chris has clearly had a bump on the head. Her fake optimism and broadcasting style is just embarrassing. The new audience phone ins are ridiculous. ‘Show and tell’ ‘7 second shout out’-really?!#zoeball.”
Another wrote: “Ok so I've given Zoe Ball on Radio 2 30 minutes and I miss Chris Evans.....Can't wait for Monday 21st to hear him back on the radio....@achrisevans.”
Ball was all smiles as she arrived at BBC’s Wogan House in central London at 5.30am clutching a bag with the slogan “Hold it together”.
Ball said: “I slept well and and can’t wait to get on with it, come on!”
Evans will start on Virgin Radio on January 21.
