From Nineties Ladette to Present-Day Priorities
Zoe Ball, once renowned as a wild party girl who burned the candle at both ends during the Nineties, has undergone a profound transformation in recent years. The former 'ladette', who juggled her BBC radio career with the buzzing music scene of that era, now embraces a more relaxed lifestyle. She has consciously stepped back from her professional commitments to prioritise her children's wellbeing and her own mental health, marking a significant shift from her earlier public persona.
A Mother's Tragic Passing and Complex Legacy
The last couple of years have been particularly challenging for the presenter following the devastating loss of her mother, Julia, in April 2024. Julia's death came just twelve weeks after receiving a pancreatic cancer diagnosis, leaving Zoe to navigate what she has described as 'a crazy, awful hideous nightmare'. Nearly two years on, the star admits she is still riding what she calls the rollercoaster of grief, recently revealing she suffered an emotional breakdown in the aftermath of her mother's passing.
Their relationship was far from straightforward. Julia walked out on the family when Zoe was just two years old, leaving Zoe's father, children's television presenter Johnny Ball, to raise their daughter alone. The pair remained estranged until Zoe turned eighteen, creating a complex dynamic that would shape their eventual reconciliation. Reflecting on this difficult period, Zoe confessed in a recent interview with The Times: 'I was only a little girl. I wonder sometimes whether that double whammy of losing her when I was young, and then losing her again ... But we made up for that time.'
Reconciliation and Making Up for Lost Time
When Zoe was six, her father married dancer Di, who helped raise Zoe alongside her two half-brothers, Nick and Dan. Meanwhile, Julia remarried twice, having a son named Jamie and gaining two stepdaughters, Ellie and Hannah. Zoe saw her mother regularly until age seven, but then experienced an eleven-year gap before reconnecting at eighteen.
Zoe has expressed understanding rather than resentment about her mother's absence during her formative years. In a 2002 interview with The Independent, she stated: 'She was young, didn't want to be a mum, so legged it. I can understand that.' She also suggested that her own reluctance to see Julia during her teenage years might have stemmed from a fear of disappointment, having built up a glamorous fantasy image of her mother based on childhood memories of 'a suede jacket with fur trim, and suede boots'.
The reconciliation, initiated by Julia's husband Rick when Zoe was eighteen and Julia forty, proved remarkably smooth. Zoe recalled the emotional reunion, describing how they fell into each other's arms and spent their first day together filled with 'lots of crying and girlie emotion'. In the years that followed, they developed a close bond, with Julia meticulously keeping press cuttings documenting her daughter's career successes.
Navigating Grief and Professional Changes
Following Julia's diagnosis and rapid decline, Zoe experienced intense anger, feeling her mother deserved more time. After Julia's death, Zoe took to Instagram with a poignant tribute, writing: 'Sleep tight dear Mama. Thank you for teaching us how to love unconditionally, to always show courage and empathy. And how, even in the darkest of days, laughter is the greatest of gifts.'
The tragedy prompted significant professional changes. Zoe initially took time off from her BBC Radio 2 Breakfast show before eventually stepping down from her morning slot altogether. Speaking on her Persephonica podcast Dig It with Jo Whiley, she revealed the depth of her struggle: 'I couldn't work. I was on the floor in the kitchen. I couldn't, I couldn't move. I had a proper emotional breakdown, you know, I haven't really talked about it actually. But it was, yeah, it was brutal.'
She credited an 'amazing doctor' who arrived at her door with coffee and bagels for helping her get the support she needed. The presenter admitted she found Julia's first birthday since her passing particularly difficult, describing it as 'a week of absolute weeping'.
Personal Tragedies and New Beginnings
Julia's death wasn't the only tragedy Zoe has faced in recent years. Her previous partner, camera man Billy Yates, took his own life in 2017 after a long battle with depression, a year after Zoe's separation from her husband, Fatboy Slim (Norman Cook). Zoe revealed she was 'in shock for two years' following this loss and still speaks to both her mother and Billy in a special place on the South Downs near her Brighton home.
Despite these challenges, Zoe has found new love with BAFTA-winning production designer Mathieu Weekes, 49. The pair, who met while working on the 2023 talent show Mamma Mia! – I Have a Dream in Greece, were recently spotted on a coastal stroll near their Brighton home, confirming their relationship after over a year of speculation. Weekes, an award-winning designer known for his work on The Traitors, I'm A Celeb, Love Island and Squid Game: The Challenge, has reportedly moved into Zoe's seaside home.
On her podcast, Zoe has playfully referred to Mathieu as 'The Lodger' and recently shared what she finds 'sexy' about her partner, including her unusual affection for his scent. 'Sniffing pits is sexy though,' she confessed. 'I've often had this thing, when I've been sort of dating someone, I love smelling their armpits. I know it sounds weird, but if you love someone, you've got to love all their smells.'
Family Focus and Future Directions
Zoe shares two children, Woody, 25, and Nelly, 16, with ex-husband Norman Cook, with whom she maintains an amicable relationship. In December, she announced her complete departure from BBC Radio 2, explaining she wanted to be more present for her children, particularly as Nelly prepares for her GCSEs. Her departure has sparked speculation that she might be clearing her schedule to potentially take over Strictly Come Dancing hosting duties from Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, a role she has previously expressed interest in.
Through all her personal and professional evolutions, Zoe Ball's journey reflects a woman who has navigated profound loss, complex family dynamics, and personal transformation while gradually building a new chapter focused on family, love, and wellbeing.
