Sara Cox has opened up about why she’s no longer afraid to be ambitious as she replaces sacked DJ Scott Mills on the BBC’s Eurovision coverage.
The Radio 2 presenter, 51, said she has grown more confident in expressing her opinions later in life after years of self-doubt rooted in childhood bullying.
In an interview with Good Housekeeping UK, conducted before Mills’ departure, Cox reflected on her early experiences and how they continue to shape her.
“I was never athletic at school. I was always the last to be picked,” she said. “From the age of 10 I avoided walking in front of people on the way to school because I was bullied horribly for being knock-kneed and having very skinny legs.
“I don’t think the experience of being bullied ever really leaves you. That feeling of not being in the cool gang can bubble up quickly, well into adulthood. It probably stays with you for the rest of your life.”
However, Cox said turning 50 marked a shift in her mindset.
“I say what I think a lot more these days,” she said. “I’m much less afraid of crumpling a man’s fragile ego by just having an opinion.”
Cox, who hosts the Radio 2 drivetime show on weekday afternoons, is expected to take on a more prominent role in the broadcaster’s Eurovision coverage following Mills’ exit.
Cox has also emerged as a bookmakers’ contender to replace Mills on the BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show.
A source told The Sun that BBC executives see her as a natural fit, citing her quick wit and experience.
“Fans of Sara’s Radio 2 show know she has that off-the-cuff patter down to a tee,” the source said. “She has a brilliant reputation as an honest, hardworking pro.”
Away from broadcasting, Cox completed her Great Northern Marathon Challenge for BBC Children in Need last year, raising more than £11.5 million.
She ran 135 miles across five days, covering five marathons through Northumberland, County Durham, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire in November.
Speaking after crossing the finish line, she joked about her choice of motivation music.
“I’d like to apologise to my son because on telly, if it stays on the documentary, I am singing that song quite a lot and it’s so cringe,” she said. “I was singing along like a mad woman to try and push through.”
The full interview appears in the May issue of Good Housekeeping UK, which is out now.
