BBC Radio 2 presenter and musical theatre star Michael Ball has revealed the agonising health battle that left him unable to walk and forced him to step away from a career-defining role. The 64-year-old, known for his long-running association with Les Misérables, underwent hip replacement surgery after years of worsening pain.
Pain During Australian Rehearsals
Speaking to Saga Magazine, Ball explained that the problem had been troubling him for years but became critical while he was working overseas. "I'd been having intermittent pain with my hip for years and it was getting worse. I knew it would have to be seen too but I was too busy and had just soldiered through a UK tour with Alfie Boe," he said.
Ball then travelled to Australia to appear in Les Misérables, but found the pain increasingly difficult to manage during rehearsals. "Then when I was in rehearsals for Les Mis in Australia I was in a lot of pain. A cortisone injection helped but a week into rehearsals, I could hardly walk and was in agony, hobbling around on stage," he recalled.
Diagnosis and Surgery
After undergoing scans, doctors discovered the true extent of the damage. "After a scan, I was told the ligament on my hip had severed and there was no cartilage, so it was bone on bone, and the bone was wearing away. My hip had to be replaced as soon as possible, so that was booked for my return to the UK," Ball said.
Despite being advised that he needed surgery, Ball completed the remainder of his Australian run before returning home. He admitted that one unlikely source of entertainment helped distract him from the pain. "What got me through six more weeks of agony was The Traitors. Every day, between shows, we played our own version of the TV show and I thought I can't go home until I know who the traitors are," he said.
Missed Performances
The condition became so severe that he was unable to appear in every performance. "I missed two Les Mis shows though because I literally couldn't walk," he added. Just a week after returning to Britain, Ball underwent hip replacement surgery, which he described as transformative. "A week after getting home, I had the operation and it was a game changer. It was then I realised I'd been existing with chronic pain for three years," he said.
Recovery and Career Change
Reflecting on his recovery, Ball revealed he has gradually returned to exercise and now enjoys regular walks with his dogs while making healthier lifestyle choices. He also acknowledged that stepping away from Les Misérables after more than four decades was a major decision, but one that felt right as he looks ahead to the next chapter of his career.
