Mystery surrounding Zoe Ball's BBC return on Monday continues to deepen as it emerges she's sold her £2 million countryside home

The mystery surrounding Zoe Ball 's return to Radio 2 continues to deepen amid her unexplained absence as it emerges that she's sold her countryside home.

The DJ, who is the BBC 's highest paid female star earning £950,000-a-year, has been on extended leave from her show since August 8, with Gaby Roslin and Scott Mills filling in.

BBC bosses have been supporting Zoe, 53, through her 'tough' time and her Radio 2 return date had been scheduled for Monday 23 September after she was told to 'take all the time she needs' following the death of her beloved mother .

However, her return back to the airwaves has sparked yet more questions as she's now made a major life change.

The Mail can reveal that Zoe has moved house in recent weeks, selling her ­beautiful countryside home in the idyllic Sussex village of Newick which she bought for £2,025,000 in August 2020.

She is understood to have upped sticks in August and moved to a townhouse between Brighton and Hove, close to her ex-husband DJ Norman Cook, the father of her two children, from whom she separated in 2016. They divorced in 2020.

Some suggest that the change is a 'new start' for Zoe, who has been single since she split from model Michael Reed last year after five-and-a-half years together.

'Zoe obviously got fed up with life in the country and wanted to move to somewhere a bit more lively,' said a source with ­knowledge of her new home.

'She has become really engrossed in making her house just as she wants it and has been happily ordering furniture and buying bits and bobs to make it perfect.'

Indeed, Zoe was spotted at Brighton's Churchill Square shopping centre on Wednesday, with one onlooker describing their surprise at seeing her.

'Everyone has been wondering where she has been and then there she was, right in front of my eyes,' they said.

It was recently reported that Zoe will be returning to work on Monday as schedules published by the BBC revealed she will host her show again from next week, with her temporary replacement Scott Mills returning to his afternoon slot.

Zoe hasn't been on the airwaves since August 8, with Scott and Gabby Roslin covering for her since then.

Despite a flurry of concerned messages online from fans, Scott opened Zoe's show on last week with no mention of his absent colleague.

He previously sent a message of support to the star while standing in for her on August 12, telling listeners that he was unexpectedly taking over.

It comes as Zoe's son Woody Cook revealed he's 'glad to see her smiling through tough times' after she was photographed being comforted by ex-husband Norman Cook, aka Fatboy Slim, outside a café in Hove on Thursday.

As concern has grown around her unexplained absence - Woody, 23, who Zoe shares with Fatboy Slim - has broken his silence on his absence.

He exclusively told MailOnline: 'My mum and I like to keep our private lives to ourselves but I will say I have stepped up and spent a lot more time with her recently as she has always been there when I've had tough times. I'm glad to see her smiling.'

Sources close to the star told MailOnline she has been given 'as much time as she needs' by the BBC, who acted similarly when she took time off in March to care for her ill mother Julia Peckham who passed away from cancer a month later.

As Zoe was spotted for the first time in weeks, BBC bosses are said to be doing 'everything they can' to help her return to work when she is ready.

A source told MailOnline: 'Zoe's had a tough few months. She had the death of her mum in April to deal with and it's not been an easy time for her.

'She has taken the time off because she needed a break with everything that has been going on for her. Her bosses are being very supportive and just want her to be in a place where she is ready to return to work.

'Zoe is expected to come back before the end of the month. Nobody is telling her an exact date to come back, the decision is very much on her.

'She's been told to take all the time she needs.'