Former Strictly: It Takes Two host Zoe Ball has opened up on coping with the death of her accomplice Billy Yates
Zoe Ball has opened up on coping with grief eight years after her accomplice Billy Yates’ death
Zoe Ball has opened up on how she’s coping with grief following the death of her partner.
BBC Antiques Roadshow cameraman Billy Yates died by suicide in May 2017 on the age of 40 and the previous Strictly: It Takes Two host has been very open about her devastation, describing it as the toughest factor she has ever handled.
She later presented a documentary, Zoe’s Hardest Road Home, which explored her grief and the impression of suicide on family members.
Zoe continues to mark the anniversary of Billy’s death, posting a tribute in May 2025 stating he’s “forever in our hearts”.
Appearing on BBC’s Morning Live on Monday (March 23), Zoe instructed hosts Rav Wilding and Helen Skelton: “Gardening got here to me fairly late in life.
“I sadly misplaced my accomplice and many individuals purchased me roses as a result of he had rose tattoos and folks introduced me roses in his reminiscence.
“Suddenly I was outside tending to these beautiful plants and having that peace and calm and it had such a huge difference to me and my sort of grief journey.
“Gardening is unimaginable and it is actually good for calming you. It will get you exterior, you have bought the sunshine and truly getting your palms into the soil, your physique is available in contact with microbes which are really actually good for you so it has been an actual consolation to me and it is my completely happy place.
“You’re watching things grow and it’s so lovely, It could be fruit, it could be veg, it could be flowers. The physical benefits aside, which are obvious when you’re digging and gardening, you smile and you start that conversation of saying, I lost my partner and now you’re smiling, talking about the roses and there’s an opportunity to remember them and smile, isn’t it? There are so many mental health benefits to gardening as well.”
Zoe is ready to entrance hit well being sequence Just One Thing alongside Roman Kemp and Clive Myrie as they journey up and down the nation to ask individuals to make one small change for some massive advantages.
The late Michael Mosley’s fashionable podcast Just One Thing remodeled how audiences take into consideration well being and wellbeing and within the new sequence for BBC Daytime, Zoe, Roman and Clive host 4 episodes every and comply with in his footsteps to supply up sensible, evidence- primarily based ideas that might assist us all dwell more healthy lives.
Opening up about filming the sequence, Zoe beforehand mentioned: “I was shocked by just how much I use my phone. We’re so attached to our digital devices often without even realising it.
“Since taking on the problem, I’ve genuinely tried to make use of mine much less, though I’m undecided I’ve finished fairly in addition to a few of our contributors, if I’m trustworthy.
“I found the Digital Detox one of the toughest Just One Things. It was also amazing to see how much people gained from taking part. Even small changes had a noticeable impact.”
If you or somebody you understand is fighting psychological well being or bereavement, assist is accessible. In the UK, you may name Samaritans totally free on 116 123.
Morning Live airs weekdays on BBC One and BBC iPlayer at 9.30am and Just One Thing is coming to BBC iPlayer and BBC One from Monday, March 23. All the unique Radio 4 podcast sequence are nonetheless out there on BBC Sounds
