Sara Cox presents her final Radio 2 Teatime show today, but the BBC has still not announced who will replace her permanently on Drive.
The presenter is leaving the 4pm to 7pm slot before moving to the Radio 2 Breakfast Show later this year. Her Breakfast start date has not yet been confirmed, although early July now looks possible based on the current cover schedule.
For now, Radio 2 has lined up a series of cover presenters rather than naming a full-time replacement.
Mark Goodier will host Drive from Monday 15 June to Thursday 18 June, with Ellie Taylor covering on Friday 19 June. Goodier then returns from Monday 22 June to Friday 26 June, before Alex Jones takes over from Monday 29 June to Friday 3 July.
That means the permanent Sara Cox replacement on Radio 2 Drive remains unknown.
Who is taking over from Sara Cox?
At the moment, no permanent presenter has been confirmed.
The temporary Radio 2 Drive schedule is:
- Monday 15 June to Thursday 18 June: Mark Goodier
- Friday 19 June: Ellie Taylor
- Monday 22 June to Friday 26 June: Mark Goodier
- Monday 29 June to Friday 3 July: Alex Jones
The schedule gives Radio 2 some breathing space, but it also keeps speculation open over who will eventually take over one of the biggest daily shows on the station.
Drive is not just another slot. It is the bridge between the working day and the evening, a place where Radio 2 needs warmth, music knowledge, personality and a presenter who can talk to a huge mainstream audience without sounding bland.
Sara Cox made the show feel loose, funny and intimate, while still sounding big enough for the network. Replacing her is not just about filling three hours. The next presenter has to carry listeners through the end of the working day, keep the music moving and still feel like proper company.
Could OJ Borg get the Radio 2 Drive show?
OJ Borg may be the most obvious internal option.
He has become a regular Radio 2 voice, has covered across the schedule and already feels familiar to many listeners. On radio forums, OJ appears to be the name many fans keep coming back to, with some suggesting he has been “warming up” for a daytime slot for some time.
If Radio 2 wants continuity rather than a dramatic change, OJ would make sense. He would be a safe, familiar and logical appointment without feeling like a complete reset.
One theory being discussed is that OJ could move from overnights to Drive, with Richie Anderson then taking on the overnight show across the week. The arrival of Kirsten O’Brien on Radio 2 travel has also fuelled speculation that wider schedule changes could be coming.
Could Rylan take over Radio 2 Drive?
Rylan Clark is another name likely to be mentioned by listeners.
He already has a strong Radio 2 identity, brings plenty of personality and has the kind of warmth that suits the station. Some fans also argue he has long since become a proper radio presenter in his own right, rather than simply a TV name on the radio.
The question is whether Drive would suit the style of show he is best known for. His Saturday afternoon programme works because it has a looser, more chaotic weekend energy. Radio 2 Drive is a different beast: slicker, more structured and tied to the rhythm of the working day.
Moving Rylan to weekdays would also be a major commitment and would create another gap elsewhere in the schedule.
Could Mark Goodier replace Sara Cox?
Mark Goodier is the safest name in the cover schedule.
He is hugely experienced, familiar to Radio 2 listeners and a reliable presenter for a major weekday slot. If Radio 2 wants stability after a period of major change, Goodier would make sense.
But he may also simply be there as a trusted pair of hands while the station prepares a bigger announcement.
Could Spoony take over Radio 2 Drive?
Spoony is another name worth considering, although he may be more of an outside option.
He is already part of the Radio 2 schedule and has a strong broadcasting pedigree, but he appears well settled with The Good Groove. Moving him to Drive would mean disturbing another part of the station’s line-up, which may make him less likely than OJ Borg.
Could Gary Davies replace Sara Cox?
Gary Davies has also been mentioned by some Radio 2 listeners.
He is a familiar and trusted voice on the station, and his experience would make him a safe choice for a major weekday slot. However, he may be more likely to remain in the role he has often occupied for Radio 2: a reliable cover presenter who can steady the schedule when needed.
That does not rule him out, but he currently feels more like a trusted pair of hands than the obvious long-term successor to Sara Cox.
Could Alex Jones or Ellie Taylor be in the running?
Alex Jones and Ellie Taylor are both covering Drive in the coming weeks, which naturally puts their names into the conversation.
Alex is already one of the BBC’s most recognisable faces and is used to mainstream teatime broadcasting through The One Show. Ellie would bring humour and a different energy to the slot.
But at this stage, their appearances may simply be cover rather than a sign of who is getting the job permanently.
Why has Radio 2 not announced Sara Cox’s replacement?
The delay may simply be down to contracts, availability or timing. But it also raises an interesting question about what Radio 2 wants Drive to become next.
Does it want a safe continuity appointment? A big personality? A TV name? A younger-feeling reset? Or someone who can preserve the Sara Cox warmth while giving the show a new identity?
The decision also comes at a sensitive time for Radio 2, with Sara Cox moving to Breakfast after Scott Mills left the station earlier this year. In those circumstances, the BBC may decide it does not want to make too many dramatic changes at once.
What are Radio 2 listeners saying?
On radio forums, the strongest prediction appears to be OJ Borg.
Several listeners see him as the natural successor to Sara Cox on Drive, partly because he has been a regular Radio 2 cover presenter and partly because he already feels familiar to the station’s audience.
Rylan Clark is another name being discussed, although he appears to divide opinion more. Some listeners argue he has now firmly become a radio presenter in his own right, having hosted on Radio 2 since 2019. Others feel his Saturday afternoon show works because of its looser, more chaotic energy, while Drive may need a slicker daily format.
Richie Anderson, who was until recently a part of the programme, is also a possibility having taken time off for television commitments. His role at Radio 2 has already been covered, with the travel presenter having deputised in the schedule previously.
Gary Davies has also been mentioned by fans, particularly given his experience and his role as a reliable cover presenter. Spoony is another possible name, although some listeners feel he may be settled where he is.
For now, OJ Borg seems to be the name many Radio 2 watchers keep coming back to. He would be a safe, familiar and logical appointment, although Radio 2 may still choose to surprise listeners with a bigger-name signing, a TV personality or a wider schedule reshuffle.
Until the permanent presenter is announced, the only confirmed answer is that Mark Goodier, Ellie Taylor and Alex Jones are covering Drive in the short term, and the next full-time Radio 2 Drive host has not yet been revealed.
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