Away from the glow of the studio lights, Zoe Ball chose the only role that truly mattered: being Julia Peckham’s daughter. She stepped back from Radio 1 and Radio 2, trusting Gaby Roslin with her audience while she held her mother’s hand, listened to her breathing, and watched the woman who raised her fight with extraordinary courage. In those final days, every glance, every whispered word, carried the weight of a lifetime.

After Julia’s death, Zoe and her brother Jamie spoke not only of their loss, but of the quiet heroes who carried them through it: the doctors, nurses, and hospital staff who treated Julia with dignity, and the friends and colleagues who wrapped them in care. In the middle of unbearable grief, Zoe chose to honour her mum with gratitude, love, and a promise that Julia’s bravery would not fade into silence.