Zoe Ball’s famous dad Johnny says her relationship with her ex-husband Fatboy Slim is better than ever

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According to Johnny Ball, Zoe Ball’s current relationship with her former husband, Fatboy Slim, is stronger than it was during their marriage.

87-year-old television figure recently shared an unexpected disclosure during an interview with Boom Radio, which comes nearly a decade after their split in 2016.

For 18 years, the couple’s relationship was marked by periods of ups and downs, and they even went through a temporary separation in 2003 due to Zoe’s brief involvement with DJ Dan Peppe.

Johnny mentioned that they have a strong friendship now, even though they went through a divorce. They’ve managed to become even better friends than before.

If you find it, they are nearer today than they used to be during their marriage, which is really sweet. And indeed, it’s very sweet.

The ex-pair are parents to two kids: Woody Fred Cook (aged 24) and Nelly May Louise Cook (aged 15).

In another part of the interview, Johnny shared insights from the beginning of his career, spanning an impressive six decades under the limelight.

In the ’90s, Zoe, the daughter, swiftly continued her father’s path in the entertainment industry, establishing a prosperous career as a disc jockey.

During her stint at Radio 1 in Ibiza in 1998, she had the chance to meet Fatboy Slim, whose real name is Norman Cook, due to her work there. (Now, he’s 62 years old.)

After their separation in 2017, Norman described it as a tough, challenging period for him, and expressed how music served as a valuable means of escape during that time.

In an interview with The Daily Star, he shared that his music and performances have consistently served as a means of escape, allowing individuals to momentarily step away from their troubles.

For three decades, I offered an escape for many through my work. However, my own life was joyful, and this service acted as a form of escape for others. Now, it seems the roles have reversed, and their appreciation provides me with a much-needed escape.

After enduring a challenging year, during the two hours I perform, I manage to set aside all my concerns, feeling as if I momentarily escape from them.

Expanding on his thoughts more openly, he confessed that he tends to perform at his best as a DJ during challenging times in his private life.

He mentioned: ‘Due to my current family circumstances, I find myself with a lot of free time. In practice, I spend less time with my children compared to before, which gives me more opportunity to focus on making music.’

After their separation, Zoe began dating Billy Yates, a camera operator, in 2017. Unfortunately, he took his own life later in the same year.

She began dating Michael Reed, the production boss, starting from December 2017 and continued until 2023, following reports that they had grown apart in their relationship.

Since parting ways with Norman, Zoe’s romantic affairs have been a matter of public scrutiny. However, details about his subsequent relationships, including one with Zoe’s friend Nicola Lokko in 2018, remain relatively unknown.

In 2020, it was reported that the ex-pair have successfully transitioned into a harmonious co-parenting arrangement. Moreover, Zoe commended Norman’s parental skills to Red magazine, labeling him as an exceptional father and the “best dad”.

She said: ‘He is such a good friend and a good guy. It’s not always been easy and it’s taken time.’

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2025-08-12 01:48