Zoe Ball has spoken candidly about her battle with 'crippling' anxiety and panic attacks that made it difficult for her to work. The 55-year-old TV and radio star took a leave of absence from her BBC Radio 2 breakfast show following the death of her mother, Julia, in April 2024 after a fight with pancreatic cancer.
In late 2024, it was announced that Zoe would step down from her morning slot in favor of a weekly Saturday show, which she also later quit in December 2025. Now, Zoe has explained how anxiety brought on by grief and perimenopause left her 'struggling to get through a show.'
The star spoke to her friend Jo Whiley on a special edition of their podcast Dig It, which featured a conversation with mental health expert Owen O'Kane about understanding anxiety. 'For me personally I've always been very laid back, I worry about the regular things,' she explained. 'But I started to have panic attacks and I think it was from grief, because that's when it started for me.'
'And then along came perimenopause as well and then I started to have crippling anxiety to the point where I was struggling to work or get through a show. It's so... crippling is the word.'
Zoe added that it was distressing not knowing where to turn. 'I just didn't really know where to go with it, you go to the doctor and it was that feeling of when you're in it, not being able to get out of it.' She noted, however, that 'I've come out of it, I've learned a lot about it, I've had some brilliant help from some great people along the way.'
Replying to follower comments on Instagram, Zoe shared supportive messages and explained that in addition to talking therapy, she received short-term help with antidepressants. 'I did take them for a couple of years, a low dose of sertraline, via my doctor. Not on them anymore. Talk to your GP. I appreciate everyone has a very different experience,' she wrote.
Owen O'Kane's advice also moved Zoe to tears at the end of the episode as he reminded her and Jo that at their age and stage in life, 'there is so much going on.' He said, 'It's a transitional phase in life, things are happening, kids are leaving home, elderly parents. We are moving toward the latter stages of our lives, we are letting go of being younger, we are letting go of old experiences or letting go of relationships. We're letting go of people we've lost, it's never one thing so of course how could we not be anxious in these periods?'
Zoe told him, 'Honestly, Owen, I have to say, I actually feel quite emotional listening to you today because I'm just thinking about all the situations and all the people I know who would be really helped by hearing you speak.'
Before leaving her breakfast show on Radio 2, Zoe was one of the highest-paid female presenters at the BBC, earning £950,000. Since leaving the station, she has focused on her popular podcast and spending time with family, including her children Nelly, 16, and Woody, 25, as well as her new relationship with boyfriend Mathieu Weekes.
She recently auditioned for the role of host of Strictly Come Dancing and spoke out about her disappointment at not getting the job. On her podcast last month, Zoe, who previously hosted Strictly spin-off It Takes Two, announced she 'didn't get' the gig and was 'working through the seven stages of grief and rejection.'
