(Image: Getty) Get the latest entertainment news sent straight to your inbox with our weekly Showbiz newsletter More Newsletters Subscribe Please enter a valid email Something went wrong, please try again later. More Newsletters We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More info Thank you for subscribing! We have more newsletters Show me See Our Privacy Notice See Our Privacy Notice × Group 28 Get the latest entertainment news sent straight to your inbox with our weekly Showbiz newsletter Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign Up No thanks, close We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More info × Group 28 Thank you for subscribing! We have more newsletters Show Me No thanks, close See our Privacy Notice Listeners of Radio 2's Breakfast Show were surprised on Thursday morning when Tony Blackburn took over from host Zoe Ball. Fans were puzzled by her absence, especially since she had just returned to the show last week. They had heard Tony emotionally sign off his last radio show after 43 years on Monday, but he was suddenly back on air after playing his final song earlier this week. Zoe had shared earlier this month that her mother was diagnosed with advanced
cancer and she would be taking some time off to be with her family. She returned last week but got some assistance at the last minute today from broadcasting legend Tony when she had to be off again, as reports the Mirror . Gaby Roslin had filled in for Zoe during her initial absence and thought they were puzzled by Tony's return at first, they were delighted to hear the radio icon back on air. Read More Related Articles Gogglebox star George Gilbey's family break silence after his tragic death aged 40 Read More Related Articles Fern Britton's verdict on ITV This Morning's Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard as she makes cheeky swipe The
BBC announced: "Tony has just taken over the controls in the studio and is now broadcasting live on Radio 2, playing just 60s tracks like he played to listeners all those years ago on Radio Caroline." Tony, who was the first DJ on BBC Radio 1 when it launched in 1967, told listeners he was happy to be helping out as they flooded
Social Media with messages about his unexpected return. He exclaimed: "We are back, the pirates are back! Zoe Ball has been locked out of the studio. I'm here, anarchy once again. We ARE pirates, we're pirate Radio 2 and here we go, and for the next hour I'm going to play you proper music! Here it is! " Everyone is hoping Zoe will be back at her desk soon after coming back." Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel Play now Zoe had said earlier this week: "It's me! I've missed you all, I've been looking after my dear ma but back to bother you though." She then updated everyone on Julia and said they would be spending a lot of time together. "Sadly, heartbreakingly her cancer is quite advanced but we're just making lots of lovely memories," she added. Zoe also said: "It's wonderful to be back in the seat. Thank you so much for all your lovely messages about my mum, she's listening this morning. She's doing OK and I'm sending out so much love to lots of people looking after us. "There's a very nice pair of chaps called Vic and Tom who took us to AandE in an ambulance last week. My mum and I had never been in an ambulance before. It was fascinating stuff. Join the Daily Record's
WhatsApp community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages. "The team at AandE were amazing, all of them doing such an amazing
Job. I've met some really nice people after going to hospitals a lot in the past few weeks. Lots of you have told me your own stories about family and your own battles with cancer, so thank you for sharing. Those messages have been really important, and I've been reading them to my mum." Tony had signed off for the final time on Sunday afternoon from his long-running stint at BBC Berkshire, Oxford and Solent. He said: "You'll never find another laugh like mine...43 years on BBC local radio and that's it as far as I'm concerned. Thank you so much. I want to thank you very much indeed for listening to me over the years. It's been a pleasure being here and I look forward to being with you in other places. "Once again thanks very much indeed for all the memories and all the lovely music, I hope you've enjoyed the
music I've brought you on Sunday afternoons. From me Tony Blackburn to BBC Local Radio, bye bye." Top showbiz news Kate and William issue new statement Fergie forced to sell Queen's gift Ralf Little confirms replacement Kate Garraway hospitalised Blackburn, who began his career at the BBC in 1967, announced his decision on social media in a post that read: "He wrote on social media: "Hi there, just wanted to let you know that I have decided to end my BBC Local Radio Sunday afternoon show that goes out on @BBCBerkshire, @BBCOxford, @BBCRadioSolent and @BBCSounds." Announcing his last show would be in March, he told fans he would be focusing on his Radio 2 gigs as well as an exciting theatre tour, revealing: "My last show will be on March 24th. I have been a part of the Berkshire lineup since 2012 and have loved doing the show bringing music from the 50s up to the present day. I have loved the callers and the fun we've some stage I might come back to BBC Local Radio but, for now, I'm going to focus on my @BBCRadio2 shows, Sounds Of The Sixties and the Golden Hour and my theatre tour which comes back in March." Get the latest celebrity gossip and telly news sent straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily Showbiz newsletter here . Story Saved You can find this story in My Bookmarks. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Follow Daily Record
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