Ball becomes new host of the Radio 2 Book Club as first books announced 

"The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show" is the new host of the Radio 2 Book Club, the presenter revealed to listeners this morning (24th January). The first book to feature is Jojo Moyes’ Someone Else’s Shoes (Penguin Michael Joseph).

As well as being featured on the show, the Radio 2 Book Club will also be available as a weekly podcast on BBC Sounds with bitesize episodes of around 10-20 minutes. In the first episode, Ball chats to authors about their latest novels, writing routines and literary loves; in the second, she speaks to a librarian to find out which books are flying off their library’s shelves; and in episode three, Ball speaks to a Radio 2 listener book group to find out what reads they are enjoying.

Ball said: “The best escapism for me has always been to get lost in another world in a good book, where our imaginations are sparked, tested and tickled by ingenious authors on wild, winsome and often thoroughly emotional journeys. 

“The Radio 2 Book Club has a top-notch track record for recommending the best reads and we’d love our listeners to share their thoughts and discoveries with us whether from a well-loved or an exciting new author.”

Helen Thomas, head of Radio 2, added: “I’m thrilled to be starting this new chapter of the Radio 2 Book Club with the accompanying podcast on BBC Sounds. I look forward to celebrating the joy of reading with Zoe and her listeners, who I hope will enjoy getting stuck into all sorts of books and discovering new authors, many of whom could be the next big thing in publishing.”

Moyes said: “I’m thrilled that Someone Else’s Shoes has been chosen to be part of the Radio 2 Book Club.”

As well as Moyes’ book, the next three titles to be featured have been announced as The Silence Project by Carole Hailey (Corvus), Other Women by Emma Flint (Picador), and The Bandit Queens by Pirini Shroff (Allen & Unwin).

The Radio 2 Book Club has been running since 2010. Previous titles featured included The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman (Viking), The Doll Factory by Elizabeth Macneal (Picador) and I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes (Bantam Press).

The show first launched on Radio 2’s Drivetime show before moving on to Jo Whiley’s show and then to Steve Wright. The Radio 2 Book Club is supported by The Reading Agency who oversee the submissions and send the books to librarians across the country to read and give their feedback on. This leads to the creation of a shortlist, from which Radio 2 then selects the titles to feature.