Zoe Ball has disclosed that her teenage daughter Nelly has moved in primarily with her father, DJ Norman Cook, also known as Fatboy Slim. The 55-year-old broadcaster made the revelation on her Dig It podcast with Jo Whiley, noting that her home in East Sussex has become noticeably quieter since the change.
Ball explained that Nelly, 16, decided to base herself at Cook's residence to avoid the hassle of moving between homes during her GCSE revision period. 'Mine's so quiet,' Ball said. 'Nell's based more at her dad's now because all her revision notes are on the wall there, and it's just not having to move from house to house.'
The admission comes just over a year after Ball stepped down from her £950,000-a-year role as host of the BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show in December 2024, citing a desire to focus on family and spend more time with her daughter ahead of her exams. Despite the arrangement, Ball emphasised that Cook lives 'around the corner' in Hove, allowing her to visit easily.
Ball also reflected on the differing dynamics with her two children, noting that Nelly is a 'daddy's girl' while her son Woody, 25, is a 'mummy's boy.' She added that she tries to give both children equal attention and love, despite their perceptions of favouritism.
Meanwhile, Cook, 62, recently told The Mirror that he welcomed a break from helping Nelly with exam prep when he headlined Radio 1's Big Weekend festival, describing himself as 'a caged tiger, ready to play.'
