ZOE (on the) BALL

Hi!! Your admin, Southampton Mike, asked me on Twitter if I would come on here and maybe answer a few questions. As I tweeted back to Mike: Sure thing! Fire away.....

It is great of you to do this for us Zoe!!

Zoe's Wikipedia entry......

Zoë Louise Ball (born 23 November 1970 in Blackpool, Lancashire) is an English television and radio personality, most famous for becoming the first female host of the BBC Radio 1 breakfast show and for her earlier work presenting 1990s kids show Live & Kicking.



The daughter of children's TV presenter Johnny Ball, Zoë Ball grew up in Farnham Common, Buckinghamshire and was educated at Heston junior school in West London between 1975 and 78 where she met and played kiss chase with her first boyfriend Warren Fox who was also a class mate. She then went on to a convent school and a sixth form college. She joined The Young Theatre (at Beaconsfield) where she trained as an actress. Her first TV appearance was as a child in the studio audience of Saturday morning children's show Saturday Superstore, on which her father was appearing as a guest.

She began her television career as a runner at Granada Television and researcher on BSkyB. She worked as a researcher for quiz shows for two years. Her presenting jobs have included hosting The Big Breakfast and The Priory on Channel 4, BBC One's Saturday morning children's programme Live & Kicking and pre-school programme Playdays. Between 1996 and 1998 she was a regular presenter on Top of the Pops usually alternating with fellow presenters and DJs Jayne Middlemiss and Jo Whiley. The three only ever presented together once on Christmas Day 1997.



Between 1999 and 2001, she was a co-host with Jamie Theakston on Wednesday night chat/music show The Priory, which was commissioned by Chris Evans' then production company Ginger Productions. Despite initial strong ratings, the show failed to capitalise on this despite the demise of TFI Friday (also a Ginger production) and figures slowly dropped. A fourth series was never commissioned. Despite the show's relative failure, fans of the former UK Play spoof interviews show Rock Profile, often recall creators (and future stars of Little Britain) Matt Lucas and David Walliams appearance on the show as Danny and Noel from Hear'Say, in which they constantly sang "Monday, Monday" after Jamie asked them a question. As Jamie was the interviewer on Rock Profile, he as a result reprised his role from that show.



Zoe then co-hosted the 2002 BRIT Awards with Frank Skinner, following which motherhood meant that she took less TV work.

In 2005 after co-hosting the BBC reality show Strictly Dance Fever, she became a contestant on series 3 of its sister show Strictly Come Dancing, partnering with Ian Waite. Zoe and Ian ranked third place.


At the end of 2006, Zoe co-hosted ITV1's Extinct, with Sir Trevor McDonald.

In January 2007, she presented the second series of ITV1's Soapstar Superstar, taking over from Fern Britton and Ben Shephard, who hosted the first series. In March 2007, she hosted ITV talent search Grease Is the Word.

She and Jamie Theakston presented Channel 5's TV quiz series Britain's Best Brain in 2009.



Although known primarily for her TV work, Zoe first became a major British celebrity in radio, after she was recruited to co-host the BBC Radio 1 breakfast show in October 1997 with Kevin Greening. She eventually graduated to become the sole host – the first female DJ to do so. At this time, her hard-drinking, hard-partying antics contributed to the identification of the so-called "ladette culture" of the late 1990s. She later notoriously re-created the naked pose on a backturned chair made famous by Christine Keeler when doing an interview and spread with SKY magazine.


Zoe left BBC Radio 1 in March 2000 to raise a family. Her final breakfast show was on 30 March 2000, and she was succeeded by Sara Cox.

Though regarded as professional, Zoe twice received a BBC warning for swearing on the radio – first when she used the word "bastard" while being interviewed by Chris Evans during his stint on the BBC Radio 1 breakfast show (she was publicising her appointment to The Big Breakfast at the time); then, as host of the BBC Radio 1 breakfast show, for using the expression "f*** brilliant" to describe a night out she had.

She returned to radio in mid 2002 when she joined London rock station XFM, where she presented the Weekday Drivetime show until December 2003 and then in January 2004 took over a Friday evening music show for the station. She also stood in for Ricky Gervais while he filmed the second series of The Office. She eventually left XFM at the end of 2004.



In September 2007, Zoe celebrated 40 years of Radio 1 by hosting a show with Sara Cox.

Since 2006 she has provided relief presenting duties for BBC Radio 2, fronting specialist documentaries, sitting in for Dermot O'Leary for three weeks in February 2006 and co-presenting, along with Danny Baker, the hastily-conceived replacement for Jonathan Ross' Saturday morning show, in the wake of Ross' suspension due to Sachsgate in 2008.

From 2009, as well as Simon Mayo, Zoe is considered one of the main relief presenters for Ken Bruce's weekday mid-morning show on BBC Radio 2. She also began hosting the Saturday breakfast show from 6:00 am to 8:00 am on the network from 6 June 2009 as part of a shake up of weekend programming at Radio 2. She is back on BBC Radio 2 from her maternity leave.


While at BBC Radio 1, Zoe began a relationship with DJ and musician Norman Cook (a.k.a. Fatboy Slim). The couple married at Babington House in Somerset in August 1999. In 2003, the couple split up when Ball revealed that she had an affair with close friend of Cook and fellow DJ, Dan Peppe. They later patched up their relationship.

The couple have a son, Woody (born 15 December 2000), and daughter Nelly May Lois Ball (born 14 January 2010). They live in Hove.




OK guys......"Fire away!!"

Hi Zoe,

Should you be on here ? Your husband being a major Brighton fan and the fact they hate us for some reason !!

My question, and I'm sorry about this, but having grown up with his programmes its an obvious one, hows your Dad keeping these days ?

Lee

Zoe, it is great of you to come on our little forum.

I have to say I am not really a fan of your husband's music. I think the one exception was a single called For Spacious Lies which I liked a lot. If you weren't married to him would you be a fan of his?

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Hi Zoe, Just thought I would post a picture of you wearing some Saints fashionwear.
I hope Norman does not mind 8)

Simon xx
Peacehaven

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Terrific Simon, how did you find that?

Welcome aboard Zoe!

The swearing on air, for which you were warned, did it just slip out in the heat of the moment? Tell us how it came about?

Have there been other near-misses when you nearly said something you shouldn't??

Hi,

Answer these so we can see what makes you tick?

1. I am sure I read that you are a keen Manchester United fan, do you watch them a lot?

2 If you had not become a famous TV and radio presenter what job would you have liked to do?

3 What hobbies do you pursue?

4 What car do you drive?

5 What would be your ideal car to drive?

6 What sort of music do you listen to?

7 Who are your favourite singers/groups (past or present)?

8 What are or were your favourite TV programmes?

9 What are your favourite films?

10. What are your favourite plays?

11. What are your favourite books?

12 Who is your favourite actor?

13 Who is your favourite actress?

14 Who is your favourite comedian /funnyman?

15 Do you have any pets?

16 What is your favourite meal?

17 What is your favourite drink?

18 Is there anything you regret not having done in your life so far and do you have any ambitions you hope to fulfil?

You must have done tens or even hundreds of interviews. Which do you think was the most exciting? and are there any embarrassing moments you can tell us about please?

Zoe

In the 'Christine Keeler-type chair photo' that we can see up above are you really as naked as the picture would have us believe or what are you wearing behind the chairback?

Hi great to see you here!

Just a few minutes ago I heard Chris Evans say on his Breakfast Show that you are the tallest woman on Radio 2. Is that right? How tall are you? Are any other female broadcasters near your height?

Hi Zoe.....

Have you been to Southampton many times? Can you tell us any memories of things you have done here?

You always look so sexy and slim, does it come naturally or is there a secret to keeping that way?

Zoe,

Such a sexy voice...its such a shame we can't hear you on here!

Weren't you voted the sexiest voice on radio? Can you tell us about that?

Love the picture of you in a Saints shirt Zoe, is there a story behind how you came to be wearing it?

Hi, Saint Mike has put some good pictures of you on here but can you put some of your favourite photos on here for us please??

Forgive me if I am wrong but I think some time ago you had a bit of a booze problem. I have a personal interest, got any advice?

Saturday-Fever wrote:Hi, Saint Mike has put some good pictures of you on here but can you put some of your favourite photos on here for us please??

.......or any that you think we guys might appreciate??

You have been in loads of programmes, which did you enjoy most?

lmao sorry guys the picture of Zoe in the saints T-shirt was photoshopped by yours truley x I know that she is an avid Man U fan so I thought it would be fun....

I haven't got a question for you Zoe..........just want to say that your dad was part of my childhood (think of a number etc)..top man.

You gone Zoe??

Sorry, Glasters madness, Apologies! x

You must have been stopped in the street many times by people recognising you. Have there been times people thought you were someone else or any other amusing incidents when meeting members of the public?

I seem to remember reading that you have a pole in your living room. Is that right?