Zoe Ball has opened up about the early days of her television career, revealing she felt pressured to wear 'tiny' and 'uncomfortable' clothes at the request of TV bosses. The 54-year-old broadcaster, who began her career on the pre-school programme Playdays, said it 'wasn't an option' to refuse such requests during photoshoots or while working.
In an interview with The Sunday Times, Ball reflected on the experiences she endured early on, including having to wear skimpy outfits and being told to 'straddle a chair' during shoots. She admitted that only years later did she realise the extent of what she went through, adding that reading Sophie Ellis-Bextor's memoir 'undid' her as it highlighted similar treatment of women in the media.
Ball, who went on to become the first female host of BBC Radio 1 and Radio 2's breakfast shows, said she was 'conditioned to think' that such requests were normal. However, she noted that not all experiences were negative, recalling a photoshoot with Bob Carlos Clarke where she wore a lace-up catsuit and boots, which she described as 'great'.
The comments come as Ball also spoke about suffering from 'mum guilt' while juggling her career and raising her two children, Woody and Nelly, with former husband Norman Cook, known as Fatboy Slim. She said she relied on the help of 'amazing women' to care for her children while working, but worried they spent too much time away from their parents.
Ball stepped down from her long-running radio show last year to focus on her family following the death of her mother. She now co-hosts the BBC podcast Dig It with Jo Whiley.
