Zoe Ball has revealed her heartbreak ahead of her emotional appearance on Who Do You Think You Are?, admitting: “It made me feel quite sad” following the death of her mum Julia.
Next week (May 26), viewers will see Zoe – accompanied by her famous dad Johnny Ball – explore her family history on the BBC genealogy series.
But for Zoe, the journey was deeply personal after losing her mum in 2024, just weeks after she was diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer.
Zoe Ball admits ‘sadness’ after death of mum Julia
The TV and radio star said taking part in the programme left her wishing she’d been able to share the experience with her beloved mum.
Speaking ahead of the episode, Zoe – who was recently rejected for the Strictly hosting role – explained: “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.”
The programme sees Zoe uncover an unexpected connection to Scotland and a powerful story of hardship and resilience that took her family from industrial 19th century Glasgow to Bolton.
On her late mum’s side, she also uncovers a heartbreaking history involving psychiatric illness and family separation.
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‘It made me feel quite sad’
Opening up further about the emotional impact of the show, Zoe admitted: “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.”
However, Zoe said the experience also helped her feel more connected to her family.
“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.”
She also described discovering more about her ancestors as “really fascinating”.
“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.”
Read more: Johnny Ball reveals secret cancer battle
Zoe Ball’s episode of Who Do You Think You Are? airs on BBC One next Tuesday (May 26) at 9pm.
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