Zoe Ball opens up on ‘crippling’ panic attacks that left her unable to work

Health & FitnessLifestyle
3 Jun 2026 • 10:02 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

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Zoe Ball opens up on ‘crippling’ panic attacks that left her unable to work

Zoe Ball has opened up on her “crippling anxiety” that left her unable to get through her BBC Radio 2 shows.

Speaking to co-host and friend Jo Whiley on a special edition of their Dig It podcast, the presenter said she believes that the panic attacks stemmed from a combination of perimenopause and grief.

In 2017, Ball’s partner Billy Yates died, and in 2024, her mother passed away from pancreatic cancer.

“It's so crippling and I just didn't really know where to go with it,” she said, revealing her doctor advised her to go on antidepressants.

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