Michael Ball, one of Britain's most celebrated musical theatre performers, has been forced to make a drastic career change due to debilitating health problems. The 63-year-old star has stepped down from his long-running BBC radio show and abandoned his role in Les Misérables, describing the decision as 'the end of an era'.
Ball had been enduring persistent hip pain for three years, but matters came to a head during an eight-week stint of Les Misérables in Australia last year. After an MRI scan revealed a completely ruptured ligament and bone-on-bone joint, doctors recommended immediate hip replacement surgery. Ball initially declined but eventually underwent the operation.
Reflecting on his lifestyle changes, Ball said: 'I'm going to the gym, oh, at least once every week. I'm not wholeheartedly throwing myself into this. It's gradual, I'm dipping my toe in. But I'm out every day, I do long walks with the dogs, and I'm eating more healthily.' He added: 'So that's me, and Les Mis finished. It's the end of an era. It's a pretty big decision, but it feels right. For me, it was time.'
Ball has maintained a long-term relationship with Cathy McGowan, 81, a former television presenter. The pair met in the 1980s and have lived together since 1992. Ball has no biological children due to a serious parachuting accident in his younger years, but he is a devoted stepfather to McGowan's daughter, Emma.
