Zoe Ball has told fans she is ‘bereft’ following the death of her ‘dear mama’ Julia.
The BBC Radio 2 star announced in early March that her mother had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and was being ‘incredibly brave’.
Earlier this week, the 53-year-old told her BBC Radio 2 listeners Julia had been transferred to a hospice, as she dedicated a Bon Jovi song to paramedics who helped her.
Just before 5am on Wednesday, the much-loved broadcaster shared the news of her mother’s passing on Instagram. In a tribute, she said: ‘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.
It continued: ‘We are bereft without you but will hold so tight to each other. Your grace & your smile that lit up every room you were in, will light the stars to guide us.’
After announcing her mother’s illness last month, Gaby Roslin ‘occasionally’ stepped in to replace her on The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show so the pair could spend time together.
Last week, Zoe shared the heartbreaking news that Julia was being transferred into hospice care, telling listeners that things were ‘pretty tough at the moment for the family.’
She said: ‘Things are really tough for my mum at the moment, just sending out loads of love. Love you Mum.’
Zoe revealed her mother’s pancreatic cancer diagnosis on March 6 as she told fans on social media she would be taking time away from her BBC show to focus on her family, who were going through ‘tough times’ – but added her mother was being extremely ‘brave’.
Despite her mother’s diagnosis, Ms Ball remained positive as she told fans at the time she is ‘in awe’ of the nurses and doctors in charge of her care.
Posting a picture of Julia surrounded by family last month, as well as a second of her receiving chemotherapy in hospital, Ms Ball wrote: ‘Heartbreakingly our beautiful Mama Julia has been diagnosed with Cancer.
‘As many of you know from experience, these are extremely tough times. Mum is being incredibly brave.
‘My brother Jamie & I are completely in awe of the brilliant Doctors, Nurses & support teams looking after Mum. Thank you.
‘Gratitude to our families & our extended family & friends at home & at work for their support at this time.
‘Sending out love to people reading this who are battling cancer, or awaiting diagnosis & also to the folk looking after their dear ones who are poorly.’
The family has been bedecked by hardship for decades, with Ms Ball’s parents Julia and Johnny Ball, a former TV presenter, splitting up in 1972 after just three years of marriage.
Mr Ball remarried his second wife, Dianne Cheryl, in 1976, with the pair remaining together today.
As Zoe’s own career took off, she and her husband Fatboy Slim supported one another on their rise to fame, with Slim later describing how she kept him down to earth by ‘checking him’ for his behaviour.
He told the Changes podcast at the time: ‘While you’ve got licence to break rules, you’ve always got a lot of people who’ll let you get away with murder.
‘Zoe was really good for me for that, because she knew the fame game and we would sort of check each other.
‘If I wasn’t respectful to people, she’d go: “Oi, come on, that’s not how we behave! Go back and thank them for that”.’
But sadly their marriage came to an end in 2016, with the couple announcing they had ‘come to the end of their rainbow’.
Although Ms Ball soon found love again in partner Billy Yates, their relationship was also not set to last.
After a long battle with depression, Mr Yates, 40, killed himself in May 2017 at his home in Putney, London.
The Radio 2 presenter previously told how she felt ‘really grateful’ he had said goodbye to her the last time she saw him.
Fighting back tears as she spoke about their final moments together, she said: ‘He got on his bike and he cycled off and he turned round and he blew me a kiss goodbye, and that was the last time I saw him.’
She added: ‘It was just that moment and that feeling of “Oh my god I love him so much, we’ll find some help and it will all be okay”.
‘And I wish I’d told him that.’
A year after his death, Ms Ball took part in a gruelling Sport Relief challenge to cycle 350 miles in five days in his memory and to raise awareness of mental health issues.
She has consistently marked his death each year and returned to work at Radio 2 following his death wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with his name.
Despite her loss, the presenter found the courage to love again when she began dating former construction worker Michael Reed.
But while friends said he was a ‘true gent’ at first, their relationship broke down after more than five years in May 2023 after Mr Reed allegedly became ‘a bit demanding’.
The couple had reportedly been arguing about very minor aspects of their life, such as Ms Ball spending time on her phone talking to friends.
The presenter soon asked Mr Reed to move out of her home, although the two are said to remain on good terms.
After her mother’s recent cancer diagnosis, Ms Ball has been inundated with messages of support from fans.
She reassured them that while she would be in her usual Radio 2 slot as much as possible, she would ‘occasionally need to be home with my Mama.’
The radio presenter, who leads the Zoe Ball Breakfast Show from 6.30am to 9.30am, will miss some shows while she helps take care of her mother Julia, with Gaby Roslin filling in in her stead.
For confidential support, call the Samaritans on 116 123, visit samaritans.org or visit www.thecalmzone.net/get-support
James Parker is a UK-based entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to the West End, he offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
