New Radio 2 Breakfast Show host Sara Cox plans to ask superstars about 'dogs and gardening' rather than showbiz gossip, aiming for a more relatable vibe. The Bolton DJ launches her show on Monday, July 6, with Hollywood great Tom Hanks as her first guest, but she hopes to keep the atmosphere down-to-earth.
Cox's Relatable Approach
Cox told the Radio Times: “It’s lovely asking big guests about scripts and music videos, but not everyone can relate to that. I want to bring the megastars into the Radio 2 world. Our listeners care about dogs, holidays, gardening and potatoes, so I’ll ask my guests if they’ve ever been in a motorhome or their preferred way of cooking a potato. And the real stars are still going to be the listeners.”
Overcoming the 'Ladette' Image
The 51-year-old joined Radio 2 in 1999 but admits she had to persuade bosses that there was more to her than the 'ladette' image portrayed by the media during early presenting gigs like The Girlie Show. “There was definitely a period where I had to persuade TV commissioners that I could be warm, funny and kind,” she says. “Women in the 90s were often portrayed as wild party girls and there was a bit of shame attached to that, as if we shouldn’t have been out having a good time. Moving to Radio 2 was a massive step. I kept asking for meetings and pitching ideas until eventually I got my foot in the door.”
Early Morning Routine and Future Dreams
Cox admits there will be “a few butterflies” but has already been embarking on dry runs: “For our pilot shows I’ve been up at 5am, out of the door by 5.30. I can do my make-up in eight minutes. It looks like someone’s thrown handfuls of make-up at me, but hopefully by 8.30 I’ll look less like Aunt Sally as it slides off my face.” Even before the show has kicked off, Cox has her post-breakfast show life mapped out: “Having my own farm is very much the dream. I’m happiest in my riding gear and scruffy clothes. I absolutely see myself one day with windswept hair, rescue sheep, a retired Nellie living her best life, and maybe a wonky donkey and some laying hens named after pop stars – Whitney, Prince and a cockerel called Stormzy.”
