Zoe Ball's dad Johnny's heartbreaking admission about supporting star - before radio absence

TV presenter Johnny Ball revealed how he and wife Dianne support their DJ daughter Zoe through tough times, including after the suicide of her boyfriend Billy Yates

Zoe Ball's dad, Johnny Ball, spoke about the tough time his daughter went through after the tragic loss of her boyfriend, Billy Yates, who died by suicide. The 86 year old TV legend talked frankly about their family's effort to keep spirits high across the miles back in 2017.

Johnny shared: "If she was next door we would pop round and say: 'Are you OK? ' but we're 60 miles away. So we text asking: 'Are you OK? Keep your pecker up. Come on, be strong.'" He highlighted how work played a key role in helping Zoe, now 53, navigate her bereavement.

Billy, a BBC cameraman and Zoe's partner, tragically passed in May 2017 having battled depression. Prior reports also suggested he had been swindled by a fraudster. This heartache followed closely on the heels of Zoe's split from her husband Norman Cook in 2016.

Meanwhile, Zoe's voice has been notably absent from her regular gig at BBC Radio 2's breakfast show, leading to fan concern as presenters such as Scott Mills and Gaby Roslin step in. In a puzzling turn, sources told Mail Online that there's confusion behind the scenes, with one stating: "Nobody knows what has happened but everyone loves Zoe." They also mentioned: "We hope everything is okay. Zoe is so loved at the BBC so to not have her around is really noticeable."

To add to a year fraught with hardship, Zoe had already taken leave earlier for personal reasons, dealing with her mother's death to cancer in April and undergoing emergency dental work.

Johnny opened up about Zoe's return to her Radio 2 show following the loss of Billy in 2017 and noted that appearances such as being spotted having a blast at Phil Collins' gig in Hyde Park showed she was "doing good". Still, he gave an honest reflection on the ups and downs of supporting her throughout the years, particularly when her skyrocketing career led to some challenging times.

Reflecting on the past, Johnny said: "She coped terribly and we lost her because she was totally besotted by it. She was clubbing all the time and drinking too much. She became a ladette, saying anything the boys could do, girls could do."

Despite the rocky moments they've shared, Johnny confirmed: "We've never fallen out, but there are periods you know you're not in the equation when it comes to discussion."

Having been joyfully married for 49 years to his second wife Dianne, Johnny, a doting grandad-of-six and cherished presenter of childhood classics such as Play School and Think of a Number, stands firm in his resolve not to offer unsolicited advice to Zoe or any of his children.

Nevertheless, he does have one tip for senior pairs: "If Di and I are down we go for a walk and suddenly we'll skip like seven-year-olds. What's age got to do with it?"