Zoe Ball made her return to work on her radio show – just days after the funeral for her beloved mum.
The presenter was left heartbroken in April when mum Julia, died just weeks after her cancer diagnosis was confirmed. At the time, Zoe subsequently took time away from her breakfast programme to care for Julia.
And on Monday (May 13) Zoe was back on the BBC Radio 2 airwaves where she issued an emotional message to fans.
Zoe Ball returns to work after death of mum
Appearing on the radio just after 6:30am, Zoe kicked off the show and said: “Good morning gang! How are you all, you lovely sorts?”
Zoe then thanked her Early Breakfast Show colleague Owain Wyn Evans. She added: “Thank you so much to Owain – loved a bit of Tusk on the air drum anthem this morning. A boost in my bones that I needed, very much so.”
I’m so grateful to you all for your amazing messages about my dear mum
The radio went on: “Thanks so much to Gaby [Roslin] for being here for you guys for the last few weeks – and for being here for me. I’m so grateful to you all for your amazing messages about my dear mum.”
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Zoe on mum’s funeral
On Thursday (May 9), Zoe revealed she had attended her mum’s funeral.
Forever in our hearts Mama, thank you for your magic & love
Alongside a snap of her mother, Zoe wrote in the Instagram caption: “Yesterday we said goodbye to our dear Mama, Granny J. It was the perfect day and she would have loved it.
“Forever in our hearts Mama, thank you for your magic & love. missing you so much but holding tight to each other.”
Zoe added: “Thank you to everyone who sent kind messages, cards & flowers. Big love to the many of you who have shared with us about your own loss and heartbreak, to those battling with cancer or looking after loved ones affected by cancer. we wish you all the strength and love. and of course the humour you need to keep going. some days it’s so hard to be brave.
“My wonderful brother Jamie @tikikontiki and I will be fundraising in the future for the fantastic caring folk at @stpeterstjames & @pancreaticcanuk let’s hope one day more can be done to help those diagnosed. our Mum was diagnosed In February, we lost her in just 12 weeks.”
Zoe calls her mum ‘incredibly brave’
Zoe shared last month how Julia has been “incredibly brave” in “extremely tough times”. She subsequently took time away from her breakfast programme to care for Julia.
But in an update to fans Zoe said her mum was receiving care in a hospice. She later announced the death of her ‘dear Mama’ in a post shared on April 23.
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