Radio 2 DJ Sara Cox has opened up about her relationship with an ex-boyfriend which left her feeling ‘very unhappy’ and ’emotionally stranded.’
The radio presenter, 49, has revealed details of an old relationship which played out prior to her rise to fame in the 1990s.
After starting out as a professional model, Sara first appeared on screens in Channel 4’s The Girlie Show in 1996, before scoring a presenting role on MTV, as the host of the late-night music show MTV Hot.
It was during this early time in her career that Sara lived in a converted church in London, having moved from her hometown of Little Lever near Bolton, Greater Manchester.
Sarah has revealed how she lived there with a former boyfriend – who she describes as ‘horrible’ – ending the relationship after he ‘stole’ from her.
‘I was in a very unhappy relationship when I first moved to London. I lived in Arnos Grove in Enfield, north London, in a converted church’ Sara revealed.
Sara reflected on the situation during a July interview with The Times, saying: ‘I was with this person who turned out to be horrible and he stole from me.
‘I felt emotionally stranded there. Then I binned him off and the MTV and Big Breakfast years began.’
After her time with MTV, Sara took on a presenting role with Channel 4’s The Big Breakfast, which she appeared on from 1998 – 2000.
In 1999, Sara made the move to radio joining Radio 1, taking over from Zoe Ball as the host of Radio 1 Breakfast the following year.
It was during this time that she interviewed comedian Sacha Baron Cohen, who appeared on the show in character as Ali G to promote the release of his comedy single Me Julie.
Recalling the fateful interview, Sara described herself as having being ‘stitched up’ when Sacha started swearing up a storm and joked about ‘smuggling drugs up his bum.’
‘I was 27 at the time but when I look back at that time and particularly that day, I feel so young, and I was definitely unprepared,’ she said on the podcast How To Fail with Elizabeth Day.
‘Mistakes were made, and the interview shouldn’t have happened as it did, and we were way too trusting.’
In December 2003 Sara hosted her final episode of the breakfast show, moving to the afternoon ‘drivetime’ slot.
She currently hosts BBC Radio 2’s drivetime show from Monday to Friday, and remains a TV regular, having hosted The Great Pottery Show Down and appearing on episodes of The Great Celebrity Bake Off and Britain’s Top Takeaways.
This weekend she appeared as a guest on Saturday Kitchen – where she was overshadowed by celebrity chef and restaurant critic Jay Rayner and his Monster Munch-encrusted cabbage.