SARA Cox is the new host of BBC Radio 2’s Breakfast Show, The Sun can confirm.
We exclusively revealed last week that she was in line to take over from Scott Mills, who was sacked by the BBC last month.
Insiders said Sara, 51, was seen as the “heir apparent” for the job – which is widely regarded as the best in radio.
A source said: “Sara has been handed the top job and it’s official, she is the new host of the Radio 2 Breakfast Show.
“This is something the BBC have always had lined up for her and she could not be more excited to take on the role.”
Scott was dismissed after new information about a police investigation about alleged sex offences with a boy aged under 16 in 2018 came to light at the BBC.
As well as losing his role on Radio 2, Mills was also sacked from working on the BBC’s Eurovision coverage and from a new podcast spin off from Race Across The World – which he won the celebrity series of in 2024.
Sara says: “There are not enough adjectives to really sum up how I’m feeling about being trusted with such an iconic show but let’s start with ecstatic, honoured and incredibly chuffed.
“It’s been a dream to host the Breakfast Show since I joined Radio 2 and it feels like a bit of a full circle for me.
“I’ve had the most glorious seven years of my career on Teatime so thank you to my brilliant Teatime listeners who hopefully will join me at Breakfast for excellent music and all my usual nonsense plus some superstar guests.
“I honestly can’t wait to wake the nation up with the biggest most fun breakfast show ever.”
Helen Thomas, Head of Radio 2 said: “I’m delighted that Sara Cox will be the new host of the prestigious Radio 2 Breakfast Show.
“Sara is adored by her millions of listeners at Teatime, and having regularly deputised in the slot, I already know she’ll build a brilliant rapport with the Breakfast audience and get the nation going each morning with her trademark warmth and humour.
“She captured the hearts of the country last November, raising a staggering £11.5m for Children in Need on her Great Northern Marathon Challenge and thoroughly deserves this gig. I can’t wait to hear her first show.”
Sara started her career at Radio 2 as a cover host for various programmes in 2012 while still working for Radio 1.
The mum-of-three landed her first permanent show, hosting Sounds of the 80s on Saturday nights, the following year.
She went on to replace Simon Mayo as the drivetime presenter in 2019 and started covering for the Breakfast Show in 2025.
In the same year she was the Radio 2 presenter chosen to complete a Comic Relief challenge and raised over £11.5million after walking and running 135 miles in five.
The Sun first revealed Sara was in the running last week.
Insiders said Radio 2’s top boss Helen Thomas was poised to hand her the job after Mills’s shock departure.
A source said at the time: “Since Scott left, she has been the name which has been discussed as the best candidate for the job and everyone working at Radio 2 is saying that she will be offered it.
“Sara has made a huge success of her drivetime slot and is a hugely popular figure at the station – plus she’s hosted the Breakfast Show as a stand-in before and loved it.”
Sara currently hosts the teatime slot on the station.
She will start her role as the host of the Radio 2 Breakfast Show later this year.
