Zoe Ball has admitted that her teenage daughter Nelly, 16, is now spending most of her time living with her ex-husband, Norman Cook—better known as Fatboy Slim—leaving Zoe’s Brighton home unusually quiet.
The 55-year-old podcaster, who recently revealed she was passed over as the new host of Strictly Come Dancing, spoke candidly about the shift on the latest episode of her Jo Whiley and Zoe’s Dig It podcast.
“Mine’s so quiet, it’s like… ugh!” Zoe confessed. “Nelly’s more based at her dad’s now. I think she’s reached that point of, ‘Can I just be in one place?’ All her CSI revision notes are on his walls, and it’s just easier for her to stay there.”
Despite the change, Zoe is quick to stress that the arrangement works well for everyone. Norman lives nearby, making it easy for her to pop in whenever Nelly needs her. “It’s great because it’s only around the corner. She can always come here if she’s upset or needs me,” she added.
The move comes after older brother Woody, 25, relocated to Bristol, while Zoe and Norman remain in Brighton.
On the podcast, Zoe also reflected on the delicate balance of introducing new partners to her children. Currently dating BAFTA-winning production designer Mathieu Weekes, 49, for over a year, Zoe admitted she’s learned from past mistakes.
“I’ve rushed things before, introducing someone straight into the kids’ lives,” she said. “It’s all a bit much—for them and for me. You’ve got to find someone who respects your kids, your ex, and your family rhythm. Someone who’s laid-back, not demanding.”
Before Mathieu, Zoe had been in a five-year relationship with former construction worker Michael Reed, which ended in 2023 after sources claimed he became “a bit demanding.” She also tragically lost her cameraman ex, Billy Yates, to suicide in 2017, after his long battle with depression.
Zoe and Norman’s story began in 1997 in Ibiza, leading to a 17-year marriage and a life shared between music, family, and co-parenting their two children. Today, Zoe’s openness about the challenges of blended families, new relationships, and parenting teenagers has resonated with listeners across the UK.
“Leaving a relationship is never easy,” she told a podcast listener grappling with divorce. “You feel guilty, you feel awful for your kids, but sometimes it’s the bravest thing you can do. Eventually, the dust settles, and you realise it was exactly what you needed.”
With her home quieter and her family navigating new chapters, Zoe Ball proves that co-parenting, honesty, and self-care can create a new rhythm—one that still keeps love and support at the centre of it all.
