Broadcasters Zoe Ball – de facto the BBC’s highest earner since Gary Lineker’s departure, at least until the next set of figures come out – and Jo Whiley have joined forces to launch a brand-new podcast with award-winning Sheffield production company, Persephonica.
Launching mid-July, the duo will let the audience listen in on their heartfelt and unfiltered conversations about everyday life. They’ll discuss raising a family, cultivating gardens, home improvements, careers, fostering healthy habits and aging gracefully, or otherwise.
Having been friends and working alongside each other for nearly three decades, the podcast will be a warm and welcoming conversation with old mates and deepen connections with listeners who have grown up alongside Jo and Zoe across their years broadcasting to the nation, accompanying them through life’s significant milestones, from becoming parents, to break-ups and breakthroughs.
Other notable Persephonica productions include Miss Me? hosted by Lily Allen and Miquita Oliver; the internationally successful Dua Lipa: At Your Service; and the Westminster essential Political Currency. They also created the UK’s biggest daily podcast The News Agents with Global.
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Listeners can expect two new episodes each week with special bonus content for subscribers. The show will be fully visualised on YouTube and will occasionally feature special guests and close friends, who will chat about their family life, careers, life experiences, homes and gardens.
Whiley said: “I’ve been part of some amazing duos over the years, but I’m not sure any will quite compare to this new adventure. Starting a podcast with one of my oldest broadcasting friends (and let’s face it, doppelgänger), Zoe, is SO exciting! The show will open a world of conversation on topics we don’t normally discuss on air and, importantly, will bring us much closer to the listeners and fans who have made our careers so special over the last 30 years.”
Ball, who stepped down from the BBC Radio 2 breakfast show after almost six years at the end of 2024, added: “I’m so super-excited to dive into the world of podcasting with my girl Jo, I’ve got so much love and respect for her – she’s been a true lifeline. Our friendship goes back 30 years, to our days on The Word and The Big Breakfast. We’ve grown up together, personally and professionally, along with our listeners.
“The show is what happens when two mates (who are constantly mistaken for each other) hit record on their regular catch-ups and talk life, unfiltered and full volume. We’re chatting about our week, wild kids, ageing, what’s for dinner, digging (literally), music obsessions, grief and everything in between. No scripts, no gloss, just real talk, real laughs and a bit of beautiful mayhem. We’ll be answering your questions too, so buckle up. It’s going to be a blast.’’
Fiona Hanlon, Persephonica’s MD, said: “Jo and Zoe aren’t just two of the best broadcasters this country has ever produced – they’ve been part of the fabric of our lives. We’ve grown up with them. At some point, we’ve all wanted to dress like them, be part of their gang, or just be them. Now, for the first time, we’re going to hear them like never before.
“We’re going to learn, laugh and probably cry a lot together over the coming months and years! We couldn’t be more excited – or more proud – that these two brilliant women have chosen Persephonica to launch their podcasting journey.”
The show will be available on all platforms from mid-July 2025. Further details soon.
