EXCLUSIVE: Zoe Ball and Jo Whiley are launching a podcast with UK production company Persephonica.
In their first ever show together, the broadcasters and presenters will lift the curtain on the “messy and beautiful reality of living well.”
No title yet revealed, but the pod will launch mid-July, the duo engage in heartfelt and unfiltered conversations about everyday life such as discuss raising a family, cultivating gardens, home improvements, careers, fostering healthy habits and aging.
The pair have been friends and worked alongside each other for nearly three decades, primarily as DJs at the BBC, and also on classic British 1990s shows The Word and Big Breakfast. As such, Persephonica is billing the podcast as “a warm and welcoming conversation with old mates.”
Dino Sofos’ Persephonica is known for podcasts such as Miss Me?, hosted by Lily Allen and Miquita Oliver; Dua Lipa: At Your Service; and the Westminster essential Political Currency. It also created the UK’s biggest daily podcast, The News Agents, but no longer makes it following a split with UK audio giant Global, as Deadline revealed in April last year.
Two episodes will each week with special bonus content for subscribers, and the show will be fully visualised on YouTube. Special guests and close friends are expected to appear, to chat about their family life, careers, life experiences, homes and gardens.
“I’ve been part of some amazing duos over the years, but I’m not sure any will quite compare to this new adventure,” said Whiley. “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.”
“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,” added Ball. “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 Managing Director, recently joined the company to grow its entertainment slate.
“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,” she said. “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.”
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