Sara Cox sends a gushing thank you to her team to celebrate listening figures after BBC staffers hit back at claims Radio 2 is a 'very happy ship'

Sara Cox has sent a gushing thank you to her team to celebrate her listening figures after BBC staffers hit back at claims Radio 2 is a 'very happy ship'.

The presenter, 51, took over the Breakfast Show in July from Scott Mills, who was sacked in March.

Gary Davies filled in as host in April, May and June.

Now, the latest listening figures reveal that the programme has attracted an average of 6.44 million weekly listeners across July to September – up very slightly from 6.37 million in April to June.

It continues to be the most popular radio programme broadcast in the UK at that time of the day, according to the latest data from research organisation Rajar.

Taking to her Instagram on Thursday, Sara shared a series of fun-filled snaps of her team and from her show. 

Alongside the post, she wrote: 'A big THANK YOU from The Sara Cox Breakfast Show team! 

'We got our first listening figures today and we’re feeling very grateful.'

After taking over the radio show, Sara was considered to be a 'safe pair of hands'.

But the Daily Mail revealed those working with Sara 'felt on edge' and feel 'thrown under the bus' when she calls out a mistake on air.

Earlier on Thursday, Sara seemingly shared a pointed post about 'traitors' on Instagram.

Dressed as a traitor from the hit reality show, she penned alongside the post: 'Making my way from the turret to the studio for today’s Sara Cox Breakfast Show @bbcradio2 #traitor …no lantern so improvised with my horn.'

The presenter has been at the Beeb for 26 years, host of the Drivetime slot for seven, before landing the Breakfast Show slot.

The publication claimed Sara is 'incredibly hands-on' and WhatsApps her team 'around the clock' with new ideas on how to better the show.

She said of her drive to make it the best it is: 'There’s a lot of people who listen who won’t speak to anybody else for the rest of the day, so it’s important.

'But at the same time, we’ve just got to keep being innovative. And for younger audiences as well, we film everything. We’ve got a brilliant young socials team who are constantly coming up with great ideas for TikTok and Instagram.'

Sara added she doesn't take herself too seriously and enjoys 'being silly and having fun'.

It comes after insiders at Radio 2 who have worked with the Manchester-born host revealed staff feel 'uncomfortable' and 'on edge' due to her habit of calling mistakes out on air and naming those responsible.

A source told the Mail: 'A lot of studio managers and technicians don't like working on the show with her.

'Everybody is on edge because she keeps pulling people up when there is a mistake that goes out on air and then throwing them under the bus, it's unfair and not part of the team spirit.'

An old recording heard by the Mail of a live show in August revealed the host singling out a producer, Anthony.

Talking to the travel presenter, Ellie Brennan, the Morning Live host said: 'Do your connection song, Ellie, whoosh, and then lift. You alright there my lovely? You're on the wrong mic there.

'Who's been messing with the mic? Why do you sound so weird? Don't worry, an operative wearing a beard will def - look, he's not moving.'

Shouting through to the control room, she said: 'That's your cue Anthony, to come in! It's not a spectator sport this love, you know, you can come and get it.

'Look, here he is, a man has dashed in with a beard. Oh here we go.'

She sarcastically added: 'Now if you were at the handover with Vernon that went perfectly last week, you'll know the name Anthony because that came up.'

While the exchange was punctuated with laughter from Sara, insiders revealed the team were left feeling 'very uncomfortable'.

A source said: 'Staff felt like she could have gone on and owned it a bit and had a joke, but she had to make a point it wasn't her.

'There was a time Zoe [Ball] used to say the wrong time and just joke it off or Scott [Mills] would have the wrong day played on his 8am jingle song and instead of blaming other people he would just go, 'That's my fat fingers'.'

Scott, 53, was beloved by staff at Radio 2 but was sacked after 14 months on the flagship show after historical allegations of serious sexual assault against a teenage boy emerged.

The case had been investigated by police in 2018 and dismissed by the Crown Prosecution Service in 2019 – Mills has launched legal action against the BBC for unfair dismissal.

When she took over the post in July, the mother-of-three opened up her first show with the songs 'It's About Damn Time' by Lizzo and 'Finally' by CeCe Peniston but joked there was, 'No message in the music'.

The pair had been close friends after working together for 30 years.

It was a move that is said to have 'upset' employees at the station, it being so fresh after Scott's unsavoury dismissal.

The source explained: 'People [not just on her show] were upset by Sara's song choices at her launch, which felt insensitive given what happened with Scott.

'Staff are also still angry that they've been told nothing about him, even six months on and still miss him very much.

'Nobody got a chance to say goodbye and really feel for him as it's his dream.'

Sara, who lives in North London, first started at Breakfast on BBC Radio 1 in 1999 and joined Radio 2 in 2011 when she provided maternity cover for Claudia Winkleman on the fourth series of Hot Gossip.

It's an open secret at the station Sara has long had her eye on the Breakfast Show seat but had been passed over twice, the first for Zoe Ball, 55, and then Mills.

When Zoe, who defected to rival station Greatest Hits last month, was given the Breakfast slot, Sara played Shaggy's song, 'It Wasn't Me' on her show that day.

A BBC spokesperson said: 'Live radio is at its best when it feels spontaneous and real, and this was simply a lighthearted, on-air moment between colleagues.

'Sara's warm, lively presenting style and great relationship with the breakfast team are genuine - and that authentic chemistry is exactly what our millions of listeners tune in for every weekday morning.'