Zoe Ball shared what what prove to be the final photos of her mother Julia during a New Year’s break in the Caribbean, four months before her death to pancreatic cancer.
The BBC Radio 2 star confirmed her mother’s passing in an Instagram post on Wednesday morning, alongside a photo of Julia in her youth.
Ball, 52, had previously announced her cancer diagnosis in March, shortly after posting what would be the final photo of Julia, taken during a family holiday in Antigua.
The presenter flew to the Caribbean island with her loved ones – among them son Woody, 23, daughter Nelly, 14, and mum Julia – for a tropical New Year break in December.
Taking to social media on January 7, Ball shared a montage of photos and videos from the trip, including one of herself and Julia enjoying a night out.
Zoe Ball shared what what prove to be the final photos of her mother Julia during a New Year’s break in the Caribbean, four months before her death to pancreatic cancer
The presenter flew to the Caribbean island with her loved ones – among them son Woody, daughter Nelly, and mum Julia – for a tropical New Year break in December
Captioning the posts, she wrote: ‘sons suns & daughters, mums bums & daughters, rum tums & blue waters cracking end to 2023 & splendid start to 2024. feeling mighty blessed, rested & a tad tubby.’
Earlier this week, Ball told her BBC Radio 2 listeners Julia had been transferred to a hospice, as she dedicated a Bon Jovi song to paramedics who helped her.
Just before 5am on Wednesday, the much-loved broadcaster shared the news of her mother’s passing on Instagram. In a tribute, she said: ‘Sleep tight dear Mama.
‘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.
It continued: ‘We are bereft without you but will hold so tight to each other. Your grace & your smile that lit up every room you were in, will light the stars to guide us.’
After announcing her mother’s illness last month, Gaby Roslin ‘occasionally’ stepped in to replace her on The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show so the pair could spend time together.
Ball shared the heartbreaking news last week that Julia was being transferred into hospice care, telling listeners that things were ‘pretty tough at the moment for the family.’
She said: ‘Things are really tough for my mum at the moment, just sending out loads of love. Love you Mum.’
Julia in another photo taken during the trip to Antigua. Her death was confirmed by Ball on Wednesday morning
Ball announced the death of her ‘dear mama’ in the early hours of Wednesday morning alongside a photo of Julia in her youth
Ball’s son Woody Cook also referenced his grandmother’s late husband Rick Peckham who died in 2013, as he added: ‘I know you’re with Rick now, give him a hug from me’
BBC presenter Ball is pictured with her mother Julia at London’s Dorchester Hotel in 2011
The broadcaster’s son Woody, who she shares with ex-husband Norman Cook – better known as British DJ Fatboy Slim – also shared a tribute on Instagram.
‘Today I say goodbye to Granny J, thank you for being a wonderful woman,’ he wrote, sharing a younger picture with his grandmother.
Woody, who appeared on Netflix reality series The Circle in 2019, also referenced his grandmother’s late husband Rick Peckham.
He said: ‘The only person who always sent me a valentines card. I know you’re with Rick now, give him a hug from me.
‘I know he said once when you were panicking in a helicopter over the Jungle ‘If you get lost, follow the river!’ You’ll find him at the end.’
Ball revealed her mother’s pancreatic cancer diagnosis on March 6, as she told fans on social media she would be taking time away from her BBC show to focus on her family, who were going through ‘tough times’ – but added her mother was being extremely ‘brave’.
Despite her mother’s diagnosis, Ball remained positive as she told fans at the time she is ‘in awe’ of the nurses and doctors in charge of her care.
Zoe and Julia Ball pictured at the premier after party for Sex and the City 2 back in 2010
Taking to social media in December, Ball shared a photo of her mother surrounded by family members
Posting a picture of Julia surrounded by family last month, as well as a second of her receiving chemotherapy in hospital, she wrote: ‘Heartbreakingly our beautiful Mama Julia has been diagnosed with Cancer.
‘As many of you know from experience, these are extremely tough times. Mum is being incredibly brave.
‘My brother Jamie & I are completely in awe of the brilliant Doctors, Nurses & support teams looking after Mum. Thank you.
‘Gratitude to our families & our extended family & friends at home & at work for their support at this time.
‘Sending out love to people reading this who are battling cancer, or awaiting diagnosis & also to the folk looking after their dear ones who are poorly.
The family has been bedecked by hardship for decades, with Ball’s parents Julia and Johnny Ball, a former TV presenter, splitting up in 1972 after just three years of marriage.
Ball remarried his second wife, Dianne Cheryl, in 1976, with the pair remaining together today.
Ball pictured with former partner Billy Yates, who killed himself in May 2017 at the age of 40
As the BBC radio 2 DJ’s own career took off, she and husband Fatboy Slim supported one another on their rise to fame, with Slim later describing how she kept him down to earth by ‘checking him’ for his behaviour.
He told the Changes podcast at the time: ‘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’.’
But sadly their marriage came to an end in 2016, with the couple announcing they had ‘come to the end of their rainbow’.
Although Ball soon found love again in partner Billy Yates, their relationship was also not set to last.
After a long battle with depression, Yates, 40, killed himself in May 2017 at his home in Putney, London.
The presenter previously told how she felt ‘really grateful’ he had said goodbye to her the last time she saw him.
Fighting back tears as she spoke about their final moments together, she said: ‘He got on his bike and he cycled off and he turned round and he blew me a kiss goodbye, and that was the last time I saw him.’
She added: ‘It was just that moment and that feeling of ”Oh my god I love him so much, we’ll find some help and it will all be okay.”
‘And I wish I’d told him that.’