Zoe Ball's life of heartbreak: From her split from husband Fatboy Slim and her ... trends now

Zoe Ball has faced a turbulent life, tinged with relationship woes, battles with alcohol, and family loss.

The BBC Radio 2 star was hit by another devastating blow when she revealed that her 'dear mama' Julia had sadly passed away, after battling pancreatic cancer.

Paying tribute on Instagram, Zoe wrote: '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.

This is the latest in a string of blows for Zoe, who has overcome the end of her 18-year marriage to Fatboy Slim, as well the loss of her stepfather and a stint in rehab.

MailOnline takes a look-back at the struggles Zoe has faced during her 30-year career...

Splitting from her husband

In 2016, Zoe revealed that she had split from her husband Norman Cook, known as Fatboy Slim, after 18 years of marriage.

In a statement the couple insisted that they would remain 'great friends' and continue to co-parent their two children, Woody, 23, and Nelly, 14.

But a source told The Sun: 'Zoe packed her bags and left. They have been arguing a lot recently and she decided she'd had enough.' 

The newspaper claims the marriage has been in trouble in their marriage for months when the couple fought during a trip to Ibiza.

The source added: 'There was a row about her drinking and it all came out then. Zoe is supposed to be dry but she has been going out drinking more and more with girlfriends.'

It also came nine months after Zoe was seen embracing Franklin Lake singer Tay Tay Starhz at the 2015 wrap party for Strictly Come Dancing's BBC2 spin-off show It Takes Two.

Zoe reportedly met the rising pop star at Soho's Freedom nightclub in the early hours of the morning.

She revealed she was feeling worse for wear on Twitter the following day, writing: 'Ouch. It Takes Two wrap party last night. Piecing together the crews drunken antics in Soho.' (sic)

A spokesman for Zoe dismissed her antics on the night out, insisting: 'This was nothing more than a silly moment at a Christmas party that meant absolutely nothing.'

Later, the presenter alluded to the kiss on Twitter with a post that read: 'Ouch. It Takes Two wrap party last night. Piecing together the crew's drunken antics in Soho.'

Further playing down the incident, Zoe later joked of her husband: 'He has always said he wants his gravestone to read, 'Norman was a very patient man.' And that sums it up really!'

Their romance began in 1997 after they met in Ibiza and they married two years later - but split briefly in 2003 when it emerged she had an affair with a close friend of her husband's DJ Dan Peppe.

Following the revelation Norman said he still loved Zoe and would take her back, as long as she promised never to see Peppe again.

The Praise You hitmaker confessed at the time: 'I still love her. If you love someone you'll forgive them. I've spoken to her today and she is genuinely remorseful.'

Despite a turbulent end to their marriage, Norman and Zoe have stayed on good terms, with the DJ discussing their relationship in a 2023 interview, sharing that Zoe would 'check him' on his behaviour.

He told the Changes podcast: 'One thing I did have to keep a lid on during that crazy time was my ego.

'While you've got licence to break rules, you've always got a lot of people who'll let you get away with murder.

'Zoe was really good for me for that, because she knew the fame game and we would sort of check each other.

'If I wasn't respectful to people, she'd go: 'Oi, come on, that's not how we behave! Go back and thank them for that.'

'We were both quite good at keeping each other's feet on the ground. Because it's hard when everyone's saying: 'Here, have this, take this, drink this, you're brilliant.'

'It's hard to keep some kind of limit and say: ''I am actually a human being, not a superstar.'' I think we probably saved each other a lot of bother.'

Her boyfriend's tragic suicide

In 2017, Zoe faced more heartbreak when her boyfriend Billy Yates died by suicide after a long battle with depression.

Zoe and Billy, a cameraman and technician, were friends for years and began dating following her marriage split from DJ Norman 'Fatboy Slim' Cook in 2016 and were first pictured together in February 2017.

In an emotional 2020 interview, the star admitted that Billy's death was 'the hardest thing she's ever had to deal with in her life.' 

Zoe discussed the cameraman's struggle with mental health and revealed that Billy lived with depression for most of his life.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, she said: 'I think it's so isolating to be trapped in your mind like that, when you doubt yourself, you doubt everything you've ever known. You doubt your family love you. You doubt your friends care for you.'

But she insisted there is always help available and that 'it's important to share there is hope.' 

Zoe remembered the man she loved and said 'he was so full of love and would help anyone in need', and insisted he should be 'remembered for his life, not his death.'

Her stepfather's death

In a 2021 interview, Zoe marked the anniversary of her stepfather Rick's death, sharing that he passed away in 2012 after battling motor neurone disease.

Zoe's parents Julia and Johnny Ball, a former TV presenter, splitting up in 1972 after just three years of marriage.

Johnny remarried his second wife, Dianne Cheryl, in 1976, with the pair remaining together today, while Julia remarried Rick.

Speaking on her BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show, the star discussed the campaigning of former rugby star Doddie Weir, who was raising funds to find a

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