Forget about the filters

Cox is famed for her forthright style and irreverent chat. Having no censor is part and parcel of her charm. So when it comes to interviewing celebs, or sorting out what theatre is good right now, the straight-talking host won’t be pulling any punches. A recipe, then, for fun watching (see Cox’s rant on death metal for a sneak preview of what lies ahead).

But it won’t go too far

Anyone who’s hoping for a reincarnation of the infamous “Coxy” wild child of the 90s will be disappointed. While happy to prank around, Cox has left her more reckless hosting days far behind. “I think people want to discourage it,” she says of her one-time alter ego. “They don’t want her to rise up from her shallow grave where I buried her with some vodka and Marlboro Lights.”

The live music will be all that

With decades of experience in the hot seat on Radio 1 and Radio 2, Cox sure knows her tunes. So it’s no surprise that a big element of her new show is “excellent live music”. Though there’s a music team in place in her current radio 2 gig, Cox admits to badgering them over text with personal requests. Her favourite singers are Beyoncé, Whitney and Minnie Riperton, although as only Bey could fulfil the live part of Cox’s show, she may stick to performers and bands who are closer to home.

Cox is replacing her old friend Zoe Ball on ITV

In taking on her new show, Cox is replacing the slot left empty by her partying pal of old Zoe Ball, who moved aside to take up her hotly anticipated gig at the Radio 2 Breakfast Show. Despite frenzied speculation of a rift between the pair, Cox says they are still close friends after the Radio 2 reshuffle: “We’re old buddies and we’ve always been really supportive of each other. Sometimes she gets jobs I’ve wanted. We always talk.”

Images: Getty

Everything we know so far about Sara Cox's new weekend show on ITV