Zoe Ball, the 55-year-old BBC Radio 2 presenter, has opened up about the devastating loss of her mother Julia, who passed away in April 2024 after a battle with advanced pancreatic cancer. In an emotional interview, Ball detailed the fresh heartbreak she experienced while embarking on a solo journey to the Isle of Skye.
A Journey of Remembrance
Speaking candidly to The Sunday Times Style Magazine earlier this year, Ball revealed that she took a temporary break from her BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show following her mother's death, before ultimately resigning in December 2024. During that time, she traveled to Scotland to drive alone to the Isle of Skye for the first time. The trip was inspired by her mother, who used to sing 'The Skye Boat Song' to Ball as a child and later to her grandchildren.
Ball expressed disappointment with the weather, saying: "Heartbreakingly it was really low cloud so I didn't get to see the fantastic views." Despite this, she made the most of the experience: "I drove around the lochs, playing our tunes, and thought about her lots — how wonderful she was — and I talked to her. I still talk to her all the time."
Dealing with Ashes
After scattering some of her mother's ashes on the Greek island of Crete with her brother Jamie, Ball shared a humorous yet poignant memory. She recalled her mother saying: "Oh, put me in a bin. You're gone! Put me in the bin." Ball responded: "We were like, 'Mum, we are not putting you in a bin.' I think I'll take little bits to little places."
As she recounted the story, Ball became tearful and admitted: "Sorry, I get really emotional. I miss her so much."
Discovering Family History
Ball's appearance on the BBC's Who Do You Think You Are? gave her the opportunity to learn more about her mother's difficult childhood. She revealed that she did not see her mother from the age of five until they reconnected in her late teens, having been raised by her father, former children's TV presenter Johnny Ball, and step-mother Di.
On the show, Ball discovered that her grandmother Peggy spent time in a psychiatric hospital when Julia was a child. She said: "I really wanted to talk to mum yesterday, and just be like, 'Mum, I understand!' and I would have been able to tell her more about Peggy and what Peggy went through. It's pretty moving stuff."
Zoe Ball's episode of Who Do You Think You Are? airs on Tuesday 26 May at 9pm on BBC One.
