The beloved broadcaster has lifted the lid on the major milestone her family passed over the festive period.

Having recently stepped down from her BBC Radio 2 Saturday show, could 2026 see Zoe Ball making a triumphant return to television? Zoe, who placed third on Strictly in 2005 and hosted spin-off show It Takes Two from 2011 until 2021, certainly has the credentials for a TV comeback.

And now, her father, Johnny, has confirmed as much, stating: “She’s in the mix.”While Zoe remains coy about her future career moves, she is more than happy to share insights into her recent experiences of motherhood, particularly her involvement in her children’s birthday celebrations. This month, her daughter, Nelly, turned 16, while her son, Woody, celebrated his 25th birthday.

Zoe joked that she was deemed “cool enough” to attend the early part of Nell’s 16th birthday drinks, or ‘prinks’ as they’re known. She recalls: “I was allowed to pop in to the ‘prinks’ – the pre-drinks. Nell deemed me important enough”, reports the Mirror.

Although she didn’t stay for the entire party, Zoe admits she could “feel Nell’s nerves.” After ensuring everything was set up correctly, she left, confident that she would be updated on any developments.

“She had a sign which read ‘holy sh*t…you’re 16,’” Zoe chuckles, adding: “I was sent updates, because my friends were all hiding upstairs. And then Woody arrived, and he had to hide upstairs.”

The party also saw turns at the DJ decks from Nell’s dad, Norman Cook [otherwise known as Fatboy Slim], her boyfriend Jacoby, and even Nell herself. Zoe happily reported: “Her boyfriend, Jacoby, DJ-ed, and Nell even played some tunes as well. It all wrapped up at 11.30pm, and no one threw up. Hoorah!”

Her son, Woody, celebrated his 25th birthday with a bang this week (Image: Instagram)

Zoe revealed that Woody was a bit worse for wear after going clubbing afterwards. She exclaimed: “The energy of that boy! He came in about 4.30am looking for antihistamines.”

However, Zoe chose not to intrude on his 25th birthday celebrations, adding: “He had a party where they’re all wearing suits and they’re going old school. I was invited. I was like, ‘No son, you go and enjoy yourself.’”

Now at 55, Zoe is evidently contemplating her age, as she discusses on the Dig It podcast, which she co-hosts with Jo Whiley. Speaking about her body’s changes during menopause, Zoe, who recently stepped down from her BBC Radio 2 Saturday show, says: “I think your shape changes slightly as you get older.

“It’s sort of around the boobage area, around your shoulders. Okay, and your arms. You sort of think, ‘Oh, have I really filled out?’ The good thing is we have our girls, and they are always happy to receive our offcuts!”

She shares her son Woody and daughter Nellie with her ex-husband Norman Cook (Image: Instagram/zoetheball)

Despite being private about her personal life following high-profile breakups from Norman Cook and, more recently, in 2023, from carpenter Michael Reed, she expresses admiration for celebrity power couples. She mentions Fleabag writer Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Oscar-winning playwright and director Martin McDonagh.

Speaking of Waller-Bridge, she says: “I saw her in the street with her fabulous partner, Martin McDonough. What a power couple they are, because he directed The Banshees of Inisherin.”

After a pause, she adds: “Something about amazing power couples.” In a reflective frame of mind as the year draws to a close and she gazes towards 2026, Zoe contemplated friends who have faced challenges over the past 12 months.

Ball said: “I know lots of my friends have had a really tough year this year. Lots of people are worrying about money, people are worrying about jobs. I’m so grateful we’re all there for each other.”

After turning 55, she opened up about her struggles with menopause on her podcast Dig It (Image: PR Handout)

She questions whether she’ll ever acquire the carefree disposition supposedly associated with advancing years – a topic she’s been exploring through various articles. The presenter muses: “As you get older, do you become a bit more, f*ck it, do you stop worrying about things? I’ve been thinking about it.

“I don’t know if that’s true, because you might care less about some of the daft stuff that you used to worry about. But, actually, there’s loads of other stuff to worry about.”

Pointing to the reality that “you never stop worrying about your kids” as evidence, she continues: “I guess, as you come through menopause, I’m hoping there’s a bit on the other side where you’re like, ‘ah, f*ck it. I don’t care.’ But there is always still so much to worry about. I’m looking forward to that f*ck it era. Will it come in my 80s?”

“Life is a bit like Indiana Jones sometimes, isn’t it? Like when the massive ball is running down the hill, you’re like, ‘for f*ck’s sake’ just trying to deal with this.”