Zoe Ball has revealed that her teenage daughter Nelly has chosen to live mainly with her father, DJ Norman Cook, also known as Fatboy Slim. The admission came on Ball's Dig It podcast with Jo Whiley, where she described her home in East Sussex as 'so quiet' since the change.
The 55-year-old broadcaster stepped down from her £950,000-a-year BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show in December 2024, citing a desire to focus on family and spend more time with Nelly ahead of her GCSEs. However, Nelly, 16, has now decided to base herself at Cook's home in Hove, just 'around the corner' from Ball.
Ball explained that Nelly's revision notes are at her father's house, making it easier for her to stay in one place rather than moving between homes. Despite seeing her daughter 'less and less', Ball said the arrangement works well, as she can visit anytime and Nelly knows she can come to her if needed.
The former couple, who married in 1999 and separated in 2016, also share son Woody, 25. Ball described Nelly as a 'daddy's girl' and Woody as a 'mummy's boy', adding that she tries to give both children equal attention and love.
Norman Cook, 62, recently told The Mirror that he was glad to return to performing at Radio 1's Big Weekend after three weeks off the road helping Nelly with exam preparation. He said: 'After weeks of revision I need to get out and kick off some cobwebs.'
