Children’s TV legend Johnny Ball has revealed for the first time that he secretly fought prostate cancer – a health battle he kept quiet for nearly three years.
The much-loved presenter, who first found fame in 1967, admitted he was diagnosed in August 2022 and immediately began daily radiation therapy. “I was diagnosed with prostate cancer in August 2022 and, thankfully, after three months of daily radiation treatment, starting that September, I’m through it, I’m fine,” Johnny told The Mirror.
Now 87, Johnny says he feels “lucky” to have survived when some of his friends were not so fortunate. He credits his recovery to a strict seven-minute fitness routine and a simple diet of “cereal with prunes” in the morning – though he jokes he still enjoys “two pints” of beer at night.
Married for 50 years to former dance teacher Dianne, Johnny is father to three children, including BBC Radio 2 star Zoe Ball, 54. Zoe has been open about her own struggles, revealing she had an emotional breakdown after her mother Julia – Johnny’s first wife – died from pancreatic cancer in April 2024. “I was on the floor in the kitchen. I couldn’t move. It was brutal,” Zoe said of her grief, adding that leaning on loved ones helped her through.
The veteran broadcaster, who fronted Play School and Think Of A Number, now enjoys life surrounded by his six grandchildren, including Zoe’s son Woody, 24. Despite his ordeal, Johnny insists he is feeling strong and grateful, reflecting: “I don’t take survival for granted.”
