Radio 2's Zoe Ball's son opens up about her absence amid speculations and concerns from fans
Zoe Ball, the beloved 53-year-old broadcaster from Blackpool, has been absent from her BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show for six weeks, leaving colleagues and listeners puzzled about her sudden disappearance. Ball, who last graced the airwaves on August 8, has had a roster of stand-ins, including Scott Mills and Gaby Roslin, filling in for her. The radio star is expected to make her comeback next Monday, although she hasn't personally addressed her return as of yet.
The reason behind Zoe's unexpected break remains largely unspoken, with an insider from her team remarking to journalists: "This is all very tricky." However, Woody, Zoe's son, recently ended his silence regarding the situation, telling a reporter: "My mum and I like to keep our private lives to ourselves but I will say I have stepped up and spent a lot more time with her recently as she has always been there when I've had tough times. I'm glad to see her smiling."
Meanwhile, Zoe's fans have been voicing their concern over social media, with some speculating that the star, who earns £950,000 annually making her the BBC's highest-paid woman, might be facing difficulties following the sudden death of her mother, Julia Peckham, from cancer in April, reports the Mirror.
Zoe Ball, as per the Daily Mail's reports, has recently uprooted from her Sussex countryside abode, purchased for over £2 million in August 2020, to a townhouse situated between Brighton and Hovemere streets away from her ex-husband DJ Norman Cook. Just this week, Zoe was seen publicly for the first time since her hiatus from Radio 2, alongside Norman.
Rumours hint Zoe's move signifies a fresh chapter for her following her split from model beau Michael Reed last year. The Mail sourced an insiders viewpoint: "Zoe obviously got fed up with life in the country and wanted to move to somewhere a bit more lively."
A colleague shared with the Daily Mail Zoe's exceptional work ethic at the station, noting her five-day-a-week, early morning schedule. They said to the Mail: "Zoe's show is like a television show, really. Guests still actually go into the studio rather than have a quick chat on Zoom so she has to be fully present and look the part."
Describing her demanding routine, they added: "She is up so early and she has a long journey in. She is up at 3am, and travels into London. You compare that to some of the other BBC employees, they have a couple of shows each week and go home again. We have been very concerned about her and hope that she is OK."
Zoe was recently spotted in the company of several individuals, including Norman Cook, outside a Hove cafe . Witnesses claim that the broadcaster spent slightly over an hour there. Images depict her engaging in lively conversation and laughter with the group before strolling along the beachfront.