Zoe Ball’s son Woody Cook reveals police are investigating ‘creepy’ stalker who impersonated him online and discussed his sex life with strangers

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Woody Cook, son of Zoe Ball, has shared that the police are looking into a ‘stalker’ who pretended to be him online and inappropriately discussed his personal life with others.

The 25-year-old star of Celebrity Gogglebox has publicly condemned someone who is pretending to be him online to trick people. He described the behavior as ‘creepy’ and said the impersonator is having inappropriate conversations and sharing false details about his personal life.

Woody, son of musician Fatboy Slim, has reported a stalker to the police, leading to a formal investigation. He says this person has harassed him and others over 20 times.

Woody publicly called out a stalker on Instagram, describing their actions as “creepy, immoral, and illegal” and encouraging them to seek professional help.

Someone created fake online profiles pretending to be Woody, and used them to have very personal conversations with many people. This was a deeply concerning and deceptive act.

Woody posted that pretending to be someone else online and discussing intimate details with strangers is disturbing, unethical, and against the law.

The stalker created fake social media and messaging accounts, pretending to be the son of a well-known British celebrity couple to deceive people online.

The DJ and TV personality shared another concerning message from someone pretending to be them online. The message read: ‘Hey, hope you don’t mind me contacting you here. I’ve been looking at your work again, and it’s really talented!’

I’m planning some festivals this year and may have some art projects available. Would you be interested in working on them? – Woody

Woody posted that someone is impersonating them online and warned people not to interact with the fake account. They explained it’s a recurring problem – this person has done it over twenty times to Woody and others – and that they are now filing a police report because they’ve had enough.

A representative for Woody stated that they’ve received reports of someone pretending to be him online and contacting people.

We’ve informed the police, and they are now investigating. Because of this, we cannot share any more details at this time.

Woody has been determined to make a name for himself, separate from his well-known parents: radio personality Zoe and DJ Norman Cook. He’s worked hard to establish his own career and gain recognition on his own merits.

The actor, who publicly came out as bisexual on the reality show The Circle in 2019, now uses his fame to advocate for important causes. He’s a strong voice for mental health awareness, LGBTQ+ rights, and protecting the environment, often speaking out about issues he cares deeply about.

He’s built a thriving career as a DJ, playing at major festivals like Glastonbury. On top of that, he works as a presenter and speaker, runs his own record label and media company called Truth Tribe, and is currently studying Film and Theatre at Bristol University.

He’s also become a popular face on Celebrity Gogglebox, appearing with his mother. Viewers love their funny observations and the heartwarming connection they share.

His recent experience with online harassment shows a frightening truth for public figures: it’s disturbingly easy for malicious people to use social media as a weapon.

Currently, pretending to be someone else online – often called ‘catfishing’ – isn’t actually illegal in the UK. Existing laws, like the Malicious Communications Act of 1988 and the Communications Act of 2003, don’t specifically address or prohibit online impersonation.

Catfishing isn’t just harmful – it can also be illegal. People who catfish can face criminal charges under laws related to fraud, harassment, malicious communication, and data protection. Specifically, the Fraud Act 2006, the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, the Malicious Communications Act 1988, and data protection regulations could all be applied.

People are working to make ‘catfishing’ – using fake online identities to trick or harm others – a crime. A petition started in March asks the government to officially recognize these actions as illegal, specifically when someone uses a false identity to manipulate, exploit, or cause harm online.

Recent data from 2023 shows that nearly one in five UK adults have been catfished. Additionally, over 25% of people who use dating websites have been deceived or scammed by fake profiles.

Instagram has rules against creating fake accounts, like the one used to impersonate Woody and target people, and offers a way to report these accounts. However, some people feel Instagram doesn’t respond fast enough when these fake accounts are causing harm.

Woody’s parents, Zoe and Norman, separated in 2016 after 18 years together, but they stayed friendly. They even lived next door to each other in Brighton for a while, working together to raise Woody and his 15-year-old sister, Nelly.

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2026-05-01 17:04