Zoe Ball has spoken candidly about her struggles with 'crippling anxiety' and panic attacks, revealing that the condition became so intense it affected her ability to work. The broadcaster opened up on her Dig It podcast, discussing her mental health challenges with Jo Whiley and psychotherapist Owen O'Kane.
Ball explained that her anxiety began after experiencing grief, following the death of her partner Billy Yates in 2017 and her mother Julia Peckham in April 2024. She also cited perimenopause as a contributing factor. 'I started to have crippling anxiety to the point where I was struggling to work or get through a show,' she said.
The former Radio 2 Breakfast Show host, who left the role in 2025, revealed she had taken antidepressants during her time on the programme. 'When I was doing the Breakfast Show, I had horrific anxiety... panic attacks, not being able to breathe, a lot of tears,' she shared. She noted that the medication helped for a period, but she is now off it.
During the podcast, O'Kane offered advice about anxiety being a natural response to life transitions, which left Ball emotional. '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,' she said.
Ball, who was one of the BBC's highest-paid female presenters earning an estimated £950,000, has since focused on her podcast and family, including her children Nelly and Woody, and her new relationship with Mathieu Weekes.
