Zoe Ball: BBC Radio 2 DJ reveals mum's cancer diagnosis as she tells fans she may miss breakfast show

BBC Radio 2 DJ Zoe Ball has shared a heart-breaking family update and told fans hat she may miss her popular breakfast show as a result.

Ball, 53, told her followers on X (formerly Twitter) that her mother Julia Peckham, 74, had been diagnosed with cancer. She wrote in a post on the social media site: "Heartbreakingly our beautiful Mama Julia has been diagnosed with cancer. These are extremely tough times, mum is being incredibly brave. Sending out love to people reading this battling cancer, awaiting diagnosis & also to folk looking after their dear ones who are poorly."

The Radio 2 breakfast host told fans that she might be taking time away from the show now and then to support her mum and her family, adding: "My brother Jamie & I are completely in awe of the brilliant Doctors, Nurses & support teams looking after Mum. Gratitude to our families and friends for their support. I'm trying to be at work on breakfast as often as I can but occasionally need to be home with my Mama."

Famous faces sent their best wishes to Zoe and her family in her Instagram comments, where she posted the same statement. Davina McCall said: "Sending you and your family the most love x and an extra special cuddle to your mum." Other stars sending their best included Dermot O'Leary, Claudia Winkleman and Gaby Roslin.

Ball is one of the radio station's most popular presenters, with her breakfast show pulling in millions of listeners every morning. Fans wished both her and her mother the best as her treatment begins. One fan wrote in response: "Good luck to your Mum and great you are able to be there for her. Music can be a great medicine as can laughter and she will have one of the best as her own personal DJ."

Zoe Ball's father is television personality and maths expert Johnny Ball, who was a mainstay of children's television in the 1980s and 1990s. He and Julia divorced in the early 1970s, when Zoe was a young child.