Another person complained, “Why is the BBC still paying Zoe Ball while she’s not on air? They should replace her with someone who wants to work early mornings.”

In March, Zoe took time off to care for her mother, Julia Peckham, who had pancreatic cancer. Julia passed away in April, and Zoe returned to work on May 13. Last year, Zoe took three weeks off to host a show for ITV.

Zoe has faced several personal tragedies. Earlier this year, she took time off to focus on her family. In April, she shared a tribute to her mother on social media, saying, “Sleep tight dear Mama. Thank you for teaching us to love unconditionally and find joy even in tough times. We will miss you but stay close together.”

Besides her mother’s passing, Zoe has also dealt with the end of her five-and-a-half-year relationship with Michael Reed, and her partner Billy Yates took his own life in 2017. This followed the end of her 18-year marriage to DJ Fatboy Slim, whose real name is Norman Cook.

The family has faced many challenges over the years. Zoe’s parents, Julia and Johnny Ball, split up in 1972 after just three years of marriage. Johnny later remarried Dianne Cheryl in 1976, and they are still together.

As Zoe’s career took off, she and her husband Fatboy Slim supported each other. Slim mentioned on the Changes podcast that Zoe kept him grounded by “checking” his behavior and not letting him get away with things just because of his fame.

Fatboy Slim said Zoe was great for keeping him grounded because she knew how fame worked, and they would help each other stay respectful. If he wasn’t treating people well, Zoe would remind him to be polite and thank them.

Sadly, their marriage ended in 2016, with the couple saying they had “come to the end of their rainbow.”

Zoe later found love with Billy Yates, but their relationship also ended tragically. Billy struggled with depression and took his own life in May 2017 at his home in Putney, London.

Zoe has shared that she felt “really grateful” for their last moments together. She recalled that when Billy left, he blew her a kiss goodbye, and she wished she had told him how much she loved him and believed things would get better.

A year after Billy Yates’ death, Zoe Ball took on a tough Sport Relief challenge, cycling 350 miles in five days to honor him and raise awareness about mental health.

She has continued to remember him each year and even wore a T-shirt with his name when she returned to work at Radio 2.

Despite her grief, Zoe found love again with Michael Reed, a former construction worker. While friends initially saw him as a “true gent,” their relationship ended after more than five years in May 2023. Reports say their relationship struggled because Mr. Reed became “a bit demanding” and they argued over small things, like Zoe spending time on her phone talking to friends.