Zoe Ball's year of heartbreaks before mysterious six-week BBC Radio 2 absence

Zoe Ball returned to air on BBC Radio 2's Breakfast Show this morning after her mysterious six-week absence, following a very difficult year for the beloved presenter

Presenter Zoe Ball returned to her beloved BBC Breakfast Show this morning after six weeks off.

The Radio 2 host has been absent since August 8, with her colleagues, Scott Mills and Gaby Roslin, stepping in to fill her shoes. But now, she has made a welcome return to the programme. The star, 53, told listeners today: "Morning gorgeous people it's me Zoe, the happy wanderer. I've wandered back.

"How was your Brat summer? Was it marvellous? We did that in the 90s, it was called something different then." She went on: "I hope you've been enjoying some of the gorgeous sunsets over the last few weeks. It's a tad soggy on our end this morning. Take it easy out on the road."

Zoe's son Woody spoke out about her absence from the radio last week and said he had to 'step up'. The 23-year-old said: "My mum and I like to keep our private lives to ourselves but I will say I have stepped up and spent a lot more time with her recently as she has always been there when I've had tough times. I'm glad to see her smiling."

The presenter has been hit with a lot of heartbreak in the last year. Zoe only returned to her BBC show on August 5 after a lengthy break. Her comeback came days after she told social media followers it was her late mum's 'heavenly' birthday - the first since her passing in April.

Zoe announced the sad death of her mum Julia on Instagram and wrote: "Sleep tight, dear mama. Thank you for teaching us how to love unconditionally, to always show courage and empathy, and how, even in the darkest of days, laughter is the greatest of gifts. We are bereft without you but will hold so tight to each other."

Stepping in for Zoe on the breakfast show for two weeks, co-host Gaby said: "It's no secret Zoe has been off for a little while looking after her mum. Very sadly, Julia lost her fight yesterday and we're all obviously sending so much love to Zoe and the whole family. It's a horrible, awful time - and I know so many of you have been through this, loving a parent and a loved one, and I think the one thing I'd like to pass on is, grief has no rule. There are no rules about this at all."

Just days after her mother's passing, in May, Zoe paid a moving tribute to her late partner, Antiques Roadshow cameraman Billy Yates, who tragically took his own life in 2017 at the age of 40, not long into his relationship with Zoe. Marking the seven-year anniversary of his death, Zoe shared a heartfelt photo of Billy on Instagram with the caption: "Seven years, kisses in the sky."

Zoe was first linked to Billy after splitting from ex-husband, famed DJ Norman Cook (known as Fatboy Slim), in 2016. To honour her late boyfriend's memory, Zoe pedalled her way from Blackpool to Brighton for Sport Relief, shining light on mental health issues. She poignantly remembered her final moments with Billy, saying: "It was just that moment and that feeling of, 'Oh my God, I love him so much and we'll find help and it will all be ok'. And I wish I'd told him that."