Zoe Ball has spoken candidly about her 'crippling anxiety' and panic attacks, revealing that the symptoms became so intense she struggled to work. The broadcaster shared her experiences on her Dig It podcast with Jo Whiley and psychotherapist Owen O'Kane.
Ball attributed her anxiety to grief following the death of her partner Billy Yates in 2017 and her mother Julia Peckham in April 2024, as well as perimenopause. 'I started to have panic attacks and I think it was from grief... 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,' she said.
She described feeling unable to escape the anxiety, but noted she has since found help and learned to manage it. O'Kane explained that anxiety is natural during transitional life phases, involving changes such as children leaving home, ageing parents, and loss. Ball became emotional, saying she felt many people would benefit from hearing his advice.
Ball left her BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show in 2025, having previously revealed she took antidepressants for anxiety during that time. She said she experienced panic attacks, breathing difficulties, and low mood, but is now off medication and focusing on her podcast and family.
