Zoe Ball’s Health, Partner Billy Yates, and Where She Lives Now

Anyone who’s followed British radio over the past three decades has watched Zoe Ball navigate the spotlight with remarkable resilience. She made history as the first woman to host BBC Radio 1’s breakfast show and later repeated that feat at Radio 2 — but her life beyond the microphone has involved grief, private health struggles, and personal reinvention, with verified details about her health condition, the death of her partner Billy Yates, and her current living situation.

Born: 23 November 1970 ·
Profession: British broadcaster and presenter ·
Known for: First female host of BBC Radio 1 and Radio 2 breakfast shows ·
Former partner (deceased): Billy Yates (died 2017) ·
Ex-husband: Fatboy Slim (Norman Cook) ·
Children: Son Woody, daughter Nelly

Six key details that map Zoe Ball’s background at a glance:

What is Zoe Ball suffering from?

In late November 2024, Zoe Ball shared an update about a health condition she had been managing privately. On Instagram, she explained that she has TMJ — a term commonly used for what clinicians call temporomandibular disorder, or TMD. She said she wakes most mornings with “awful headaches” brought on by tension and jaw clenching, according to a report from ITV News.

What is TMD, the painful jaw condition affecting Zoe Ball?

TMD affects the joint that connects the jaw to the skull — the temporomandibular joint. Symptoms include facial pain, headaches, clicking or locking of the jaw, and stiffness in the neck and shoulders. As The Conversation notes in its explainer, the condition affects around 12% of the population and is more common in women. The NHS guidance cited by HELLO! says TMD is “not usually serious” and often resolves on its own. Ball shared before-and-after photos from a London clinic, thanking practitioners for helping relieve her symptoms, as reported by the Evening Standard.

The implication: Ball’s public disclosure of TMD, combined with her Radio 2 exit, signals a deliberate shift toward managing her long-term well-being rather than pushing through the pain.

Has Zoe Ball got a partner now?

After the death of Billy Yates, Zoe Ball kept her private life largely out of the headlines for several years. But reports in 2024 indicate that she has found a new relationship. According to Briefscape.uk, Ball has reportedly been dating TV producer Michael Reed, with the relationship said to have been ongoing for about a year. The coverage does not include direct confirmation from Ball or Reed.

Who is Michael Reed to Zoe Ball?

Michael Reed is a television producer with credits including ITV productions. The relationship is described as a “secret” romance in the tabloid coverage, though neither party has publicly confirmed or denied the details. Reed has no direct history in radio broadcasting, which may be one reason the connection has not been discussed on Ball’s shows.

Does Zoe Ball have a partner now?

The current situation is reported but not officially confirmed. The relationship with Michael Reed is not verified by an on-the-record statement from either Ball or his camp. Given the lower confidence of the sources and the lack of direct comment, this remains an area where the available information is suggestive rather than definitive.

The pattern: Ball has built a wall around her private life since 2017. While tabloid reports point to a new partner, the lack of public acknowledgment means readers should treat this as a developing story rather than a settled fact.

What happened to Zoe Ball’s partner Billy?

Billy Yates was Zoe Ball’s partner and the tragic centerpiece of one of the hardest chapters in her life. He died in May 2017. The Evening Standard reported that Yates was found hanged in his Putney apartment. The coroner recorded a conclusion of death by misadventure, noting that the cause was asphyxiation by ligature, as covered by Yahoo News UK.

How did Zoe Ball lose her partner?

Yates had been struggling with depression. According to the inquest coverage, he had contacted a mental health crisis line and told responders he had tried to take his own life on two previous occasions. Ball had encouraged him to see specialists, but the illness ultimately proved too much. After his death, Ball spoke to BBC News, saying she knew Yates had lived with depression but “did not know how to help.” In 2018, she completed a 350-mile cycle ride over five days for Sport Relief, raising £500,000, and said the effort helped her raise awareness of mental illness (BBC News).

Who is Billy Yates?

Billy Yates was a cameraman and television professional who worked on programs including MasterChef and The Great British Bake Off. He and Ball were together for several years, and at the time of his death, they were living together in Putney. Friends described him as a “gentle soul” who had been battling depression for years.

Where is Zoe Ball living now?

For years, Zoe Ball lived in a converted barn in Sussex with her two children. But reports in 2024 and early 2025 indicate she has moved. According to Briefscape.uk, Ball has relocated from her Sussex home, though the exact new location has not been publicly confirmed. The move coincided with her stepping down from the Radio 2 Breakfast Show in December 2024, which she announced in November of that year (HELLO!).

Since stepping back from breakfast radio, Ball has been presenting the mid-morning show on BBC Radio 2, according to a 2025 update (Briefscape.uk). The implication: she is trading the punishing 4 a.m. starts of breakfast radio for a schedule that better accommodates both her health and her family life.

Why did Fatboy Slim and Zoe split?

Zoe Ball was married to Norman Cook, better known as Fatboy Slim, for 18 years. They separated in 2016 and divorced in 2017. The couple have two children: Woody Cook, born in 2000, and Nelly Cook, born in 2010. Wikipedia notes the marriage ended amicably, with both parents remaining involved in their children’s lives. In 2023, Fatboy Slim described the relationship with his ex-wife as “awkward” in an interview, though he acknowledged they continue to co-parent effectively. The split appears to have been a mutual decision, driven by divergent lifestyles rather than a single dramatic event.

“I knew he lived with depression but I didn’t know how to help.”

— Zoe Ball, speaking to BBC News in 2018 after Billy Yates’s death

“It’s awkward being around my ex-wife. We have to be in the same room for the kids, but it’s not always comfortable.”

— Fatboy Slim on his relationship with Zoe Ball