Zoe Ball has admitted she worries about the future as she reflects on the bittersweet process of sorting through her late mother's belongings, more than two years after her death. The Greatest Hits Radio presenter, 55, lost her mother, Julia Packham, to pancreatic cancer in 2024, a loss that prompted her to step back from her BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show role before leaving the programme later that year.
Zoe Ball Opens Up About Grief and Letting Go
Speaking on this week's episode of her Dig It podcast with Jo Whiley, Ball responded to a listener who confessed she found it hard to release treasured memories, frequently leaving her distressed. Ball said she could relate, revealing she hangs on to a lot of memories, trinkets, tickets and music that remind her of the past.
She said: "I hang on to a lot of memories, I hang on to a lot of trinkets, tickets and music and things that remind of the past. It's actually been a conversation in our household this weekend."
Sorting Through Memories and Possessions
Ball continued: "I've started to look at some things of mums thinking, 'Oh gosh do I get rid of some of these things?' And should I get rid of some of my things so that my kids don't have to sort through them? I was talking to my friends going, 'How much stuff do you keep from the past?'"
After discovering that many of her friends had decided not to retain old possessions, Ball described herself as a "hopeless romantic" who enjoys reflecting on memories. However, reflecting on the grief she has experienced, she confessed to having conflicting emotions about what to hold onto and what to part with.
Loss and Worry About the Future
"I like looking back but the thing is, there's been a lot of sadness in my life in a certain era and a lot of loss," she added. "So there's great people I really miss in my life who I have lost over the years."
In addition to losing her mother, Ball experienced heartbreak in 2017 after the death of her partner, cameraman Billy Yates, just months into their relationship. The presenter acknowledged that these deaths have prompted her to worry about the future.
Living in the Moment
"I do worry slightly about looking forward and thinking, 'Oh gosh how much time are we going to get?'" she admitted. "But you're going to get what you're going to get aren't you? There's a not a lot we can do about that, you've got to live in the moment, you've got to love life."
Looking ahead, Ball said she has "a lot of sorting to do." She added: "I think I did a huge amount when I moved and then after mum. And now I sort of need to move to the next level of sorting some of mum's stuff and some of my own so that there is less stuff in the house."
Encouraging Positivity
Ball also urged the listener to "try and keep positive," while reassuring her that there is absolutely nothing wrong with having "a good old sob" when the need arises.
