Zoe Ball has opened up about her relationship with her mum, including their 14-year estrangement, during an appearance on Who Do You Think You Are?
Meghna Amin Screen Time Reporter
21:00, 26 May 2026
Zoe Ball is taking part in the new series of Who Do You Think You Are? (Image: BBC)
Zoe Ball has undergone a journey through her ancestry in BBC’s Who Do You Think You Are?
The radio presenter learned about her familial background as part of the programme, discovering more about her own mum’s childhood dealing with her grandmother’s mental health illness.
During Tuesday’s (May 26) episode, Zoe opened up about her estrangement from her mother Julia, who died in April 2024 after being diagnosed with cancer.
She has previously shared how she didn’t see her mother from the age of five until they reconnected in her late teens, and was raised by her dad, children’s TV presenter Johnny Ball, and step-mother Di.
Zoe discovers more about her mum’s childhood in the BBC programme (Image: Getty Images)
BBC star Zoe was born in 1970 in Blackpool, with her mum and dad divorcing when she was two years old and Zoe later moving to Buckinghamshire.
She’s now mum to two children, Woody and Nelly, who she shares with ex Fatboy Slim, who she married in 1999 and separated from in 2016, though the pair still maintain a close friendship.
Opening up about her family and her mum’s death in the new series of Who Do You Think You Are?, which aired on Tuesday night, Zoe explained: “We lost my mum last year, and it really made me step back and look at the bigger picture and re-evaluate what is important in my life.
“Nelly, my daughter is 15, and I just want to be mum and be around for her before she has grown up and is off in the big wide world, like her brother, Woody.
“My kids are really keen to know if we are Brits through and through, is there any Viking, is there any pirate? We joke that we’re convinced we come from a line of wrong ‘uns!”
Zoe shares two children with Fatboy Slim (Image: zoetheball/Instagram)
While Johnny also featured in the episode, as Zoe asked for some help learning about her heritage, she elsewhere opened up about her relationship with her mum.
She shared: “I think with things being a bit tricky, they both met new partners, it was decided at some point that I would stay with my dad. It was pretty tough, I didn’t see my mum for 14 years, which is a long time for a kid not to see her mum. When we did connect again, when I was 18, there was a lot of making up to do.
“I don’t remember ever meeting my mum’s mum. Her name was Margaret but everyone called her Peg. For a time, she was in what would have been called an asylum in those days, because she struggled with her mental health.
“Families are fascinating because there are stories families tell and stories that get hushed up so I’d be keen to find out more about what happened to her, almost pulling back the curtain.
Zoe’s dad is presenter Johnny Ball (Image: Yui Mok/PA Wire)
“It could get quite emotional for me, because my mum was really excited about the prospect of us having a good dig into the past.
“I feel like it’s even more important now. I’m really sad she’s not here to learn these things, but wherever she is, she’s here with me in my heart.”
Zoe’s mum Julia tragically died in April 2024 after being diagnosed with cancer, which had led Zoe to take some time off from her radio show.
Announcing her death, Zoe had shared a tribute to Julia on social media, writing: “Thank you for teaching us how to love unconditionally, to always show courage and empathy, and how, even in the darkest of days, laughter is the greatest of gifts.”
Despite the close relationship they had later in life, Zoe didn’t see her mum for 14 years.
Zoe’s mum Julia died in 2024 (Image: Claire R Greenway/Getty Images)
Recalling how they reunited after receiving an invitation to her mum’s 40th birthday party, Zoe previously told The Mirror about that moment, saying: “I could hardly breathe. I felt faint but somehow managed to hold myself together.”
She continued: “I spied some balloons tied to a gate and my heart started pounding like mad. I suddenly panicked: ‘What if we hate each other?'”
However, everything changed when she did meet Julia, with Zoe saying: “We spent such a lovely first day together… lots of crying and girlie emotion.”
Ahead of the new series of Who Do You Think You Are? Airing, Zoe revealed why she wanted to take part in the programme.
The radio presenter took a break from her BBC programme months before her mum died of cancer in 2024 (Image: BBC)
She said: “I wanted to know more about my background. I mostly grew up with my dad and didn’t reconnect with my mum until my late teens, but I know she was always really keen to look into her family history. Because of that, I wanted to understand more about that side of my family, especially after losing her two years ago.
“ It was really fascinating to learn where she came from and discover more about my ancestors. In particular, learning about her mother and the challenges she faced with her mental health made me feel much closer to that side of the family.“
She added: “Although we became much closer as I got older, I didn’t really grow up with my mum. So it was very interesting to learn more about her mother, Peggy, and to understand that because of Peggy’s mental health struggles, my mum Julia also missed out on time with her own mother growing up.
“I know my mum was really interested in finding out more about her family history, so it made me feel quite sad that I wasn’t able to share this experience with her after losing her two years ago. Going on this journey has really allowed me to feel closer to my mum’s side of the family, and I’m really glad I got to learn more about where they came from.”
Who Do You Think You Are? Airs Tuesdays at 9pm on BBC One and iPlayer