Zoe Ball and Jamie Theakston reunite for a Live and Kicking 25-year anniversary celebration at a 90s bar

Zoe Ball and Jamie Theakston enjoyed a Live and Kicking reunion on Tuesday night, celebrating the 25th anniversary of the last episode of the iconic kids' show.

The presenters, both 55, took over from original hosts Andi Peters and Emma Forbes in 1996, and during their three years the infamous children’s TV show raked in 2.5 million viewers.

The show was eventually cancelled in 2001 and to mark 25 years since the finale Zoe and Jamie joined the show's production crew for a party at Covent Garden’s Bunga 90.

The bar is an ode to the nineties era and features a Mr Blobby DJ booth. Mr Blobby of course came to fruition with Live & Kicking and became a household name due to his outlandish appearances across the show’s seven year run.

Zoe was delighted to be surrounded by nineties nostalgia, sipping a cocktail from a Liam and Noel Gallagher mug.

Looking chic in a black tuxedo jacket and tie, the TV and radio star added a Live & Kicking badge to her look. 

Both Jamie and Zoe have gone on to have hugely successful broadcast careers in the 25 years since Live & Kicking ended.

Jamie is the co-host of Heart Radio's Breakfast Show, whilst Zoe recently started her new radio job on Greatest Hits Radio. 

Last week Zoe admitted mean listener comments can 'get in her head' as she opened up about starting her 'scary' new job. 

The star quit her BBC Radio 2 show last December after leaving the coveted Breakfast Show a year prior. 

And now she has stepped into a new role, taking over from Kate Thornton for the weekday show from 1-4pm on Greatest Hits Radio. 

After starting the job earlier this month, Zoe caught up with her friend Jo Whiley on the latest episode of their podcast Dig It as she explained she tries not to read comments as they can really 'get in my head'.

'Do you know what? I am really loving it,' she told Jo. 'It's so scary starting a new job. Everybody will have been through this at some point in their lives. 

'When you're the new girl and you're going in and you're following someone brilliant. I was following from Kate Thornton and Kate's doing a new show at the weekends, but people don't always like change. 

'I'm the same. I like the people I listen to and where they are. And when everything moves around, it can be a little bit discombobulating for everybody.'

She continued: 'I know there will be comments.  Of course, I try not to read the comments. 

'When you're going to somewhere new there will be people who don't necessarily choose to listen to you, whatever. 

'So, I just know not to read the comments because then they'll get in my head and occasionally I'll just see someone will say, "Oh, well, you're being a bit mean." 

'So you know someone is there saying something about not liking you and the rest of it." But all I've done is I've seen that someone has responded to that and I'm like, "Right, don't go any further." It's just like protecting yourself from that.'

Opening up about messing up live on air, Zoe said: 'I had a really nerve-wracking first show, had a dangerously smooth second show, and then messed everything up on the third show. But you know what it's like, isn't it?

'We all have good days and we have bad days. And there are days when you're firing on all cylinders. 

'And then there are days that for no apparent reason you get everything wrong or you mess up or you're late and do you know what? It evens out, you know, like not everyone is listening.'

'It's difficult when you have a job where you have to speak and you actually get your words out because you're so scared, but I've been well looked after.'

During her first show earlier this month, Zoe admitted that her 'tongue is stuck in my teeth with nerves', before adding that she was following advice and 'breathing, I'm breathing'.

She began her show by telling listeners: 'I can tell you excitement levels are currently peaking' before thanking Ken Bruce, gushing that she was 'so thrilled to be his radio neighbour once again', whilst also paying tribute to 'the mighty Simon Mayo. Adore him.' 

Last year Zoe quit her £520k-a-year Radio 2 show amid a time of personal turmoil.

She later explained how she was struggling to cope with her grief after losing her mum to cancer in 2024, which combined with 'crippling' anxiety from perimenopause made her unable to make it through some of her shows.

The decision to step back from her Radio 2 afternoon show allowed her time to properly grieve the death of her mother, as well as spend time with daughter Nelly, who was going through her GCSEs at the time of her BBC exit.