Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and moreStay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Johnny Ball has revealed that he privately dealt with prostate cancer after being diagnosed in 2022.The 87-year-old presenter, father of radio host Zoe and best known for presenting the children’s TV shows Play School, said in a new interview that he recovered from the disease after receiving three months of radiation treatment.He revealed: “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 said he did not take his recovery for granted, revealing that several of his friends have died from the disease, including Harry Secombe, the Goon Show star who died in 2001, aged 79.“My friend Harry Secombe didn’t survive it, Bob Monkhouse didn’t survive it,” Ball said. “I’m 20 years younger than them and I am lucky, because now we can cure it.”Ball added: “You’ve got to cash in on what’s wonderful about life today and stop dwelling on what’s dreary and depressing.”The presenter revealed that he was staying healthy by following a strict diet and exercise routine, telling The Mirror: “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.”“My daily routine is six to seven minutes at the most, but it keeps me incredibly fit.”open image in galleryJohnny Ball and his daughter Zoe (PA)Ball revealed that he eats cereals with prunes for breakfast, saying: “It keeps me going.” He added that he has two pints of beer per evening, and “never any more than that”. He said his wife, Dianne, “can always tell if I have had even half a pint more – I start arguing with the TV”.The father-of-three, who made his name presenting the children’s maths and science series Think of a Number, still works by giving educational talks in schools.He said: “I would never retire. It’s a joy to still be working.”open image in galleryJohnny Ball said he is now ‘fine’ after undergoing treatment for prostate cancer (PA Archive)The presenter recently celebrated his 50th wedding anniversary with his second wife, Dianne, a former dance teacher.Calling her his “soul mate”, he said of their relationship: “We walk a lot. Yesterday we walked our dog four miles; today, we walked about two and a half miles. We’re in good health, and we make the most of it. You’ve got to focus on all the positives.”The pair share two sons, Dan, 46, a civil engineer, and Nick, 48, a screenwriter.Ball welcomed his daughter, the BBC Radio 2 presenter, with his first wife Julia, who died in April 2024 from pancreatic cancer.Zoe recently revealed she experienced an emotional breakdown following her mother’s death, which forced her to take a step back from her BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show.Speaking to her Dig It podcast co-host Jo Whiley, the radio DJ said: “I had to stop working, I was on the floor in the kitchen, I couldn’t move.”“I had a proper emotional breakdown, I haven’t talked about it very much but it was brutal.”In December, Zoe announced she was leaving her Radio 2 slot to focus on family. She returned to the station in May this year, presenting a new show on Saturday afternoons as part of a more relaxed schedule.
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Broadcaster Johnny Ball ‘fine’ after privately undergoing treatment for prostate cancer
