Children’s TV legend Johnny Ball, father of famous broadcaster Zoe Ball, says he is ‘lucky’ after revealing that he had been privately fighting a prostate cancer diagnosis
Children’s TV legend Johnny Ball has revealed that he has been secretly fighting prostate cancer.
The 87-year-old said: “I was diagnosed with prostate cancer in August 2022 and, thankfully, after three months of daily radiation treatment, starting in the September, I’m through it, I’m fine.”
Ball, who first blessed British TV screens as the presenter of Play School in 1967, does not take surviving the illness for granted: “My friend Harry Secombe didn’t survive it, Bob Monkhouse didn’t survive it. I’m 20 years younger than them and I am lucky, because now we can cure it.“
Ball has worked hard to stay healthy and follows a strict daily diet and exercise routine.
”First I do a simple bending and stretching routine that lasts about two and a half minutes, the speed I do it at. And then, I lift my two 2kg dumbbells for two and a half minutes,” he said speaking to The Mirror.
“My daily routine is six to seven minutes at the most, but it keeps me incredibly fit.“
While admitting to drinking beer every night, Ball revealed that diet is also a part of his health routine.
“For breakfast (I have) cereal with prunes in the morning – it keeps me going!
“I always have two pints – never any more than that. Dianne (his wife) can always tell if I have had even half a pint more – I start arguing with the TV.”
Despite being in his late eighties, Ball, whose other TV credits include presenting the award winning kids’ maths and science series Think Of A Number, is still working – giving educational talks in schools
“I would never retire. It’s a joy to still be working.”
Famously the dad of Zoe Ball, Johnny also has two sons with Dianne – Dan, 46, a civil engineer, who runs a business designing buildings and swimming pools.
Nick, 48, writes films – most recently working on the horror film, The Trip, which reached number one on Netflix.
Ball also revealed that daughter, Zoe, 54, is in a “good place” following her departure from hosting the BBC Radio 2 breakfast show to host a Saturday afternoon show on the channel.
He said: “I think she’s in a good place now. Her new career is going from strength to strength, because people are realising now that she’s available for other ideas.
And Ball is also full of ideas. He said:“I have a lovely idea for a multigenerational series on the history of maths, but it would be entertaining and not mathematical. I’d do it with Zoe and my grandson Woody.”
Woody, 24, Zoe’s son by DJ Norman Cook – they also have a daughter, Nelly, 15 – is one of Ball’s six grandchildren.
Ball, who in 2004 was named in the Radio Times’ list of 50 most eccentric tv presenters of all time, also spoke of his desire to have another go at Strictly Come Dancing after becoming the oldest contestant to appear on the show in 2012 at the age of 74.
He lost that title to Angela Rippon, who appeared in the 2013 edition at age of 78.
“I could do Strictly now at 87,” he said.
Showing no signs of slowing down, he still travels extensively with Dianne, who he met doing a show on Blackpool pier 20 minutes after a gypsy predicted he would have a “glorious future” if he made the right decision about a woman in his life.
“The gypsy said, ‘You’ve got two women in your life and if you make the right decision now, it’s going to be a glorious future.’
“I said ‘I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.’ I walked out and 20 minutes later I saw Diane working on a pier show.”
The couple have recently returned from a trip to India, and Ball said: “We’ve been everywhere, although we’ve yet to visit Japan and New Zealand.”
Ball is currently finishing the second part of his autobiography – a follow up to Johnny Ball – My Previous Life in Comedy – which is out in March.
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