Top 60 Zoe Ball Quotes

My best characteristic is that I don’t take things too seriously. And my worst characteristic is the same one. There are times when my family wants me to take things seriously and I’ll be mucking about. So I’m aware it’s annoying for everyone else.

The second time I was pregnant friends would give me rubber bands to gnaw, because the first time, I had chewed things like a rubber bit that fell off the dishwasher. I remember driving once in the rain and the smell of my rubber-soled shoes in the damp caused me to pull over and start chomping on the rubber mat.

I remember seeing Norman Cook swimming in a pair of burgundy pants. I thought: ‘Wow, he looks great.’

Erm, you know, honestly, I’ve never done what I do because of the money.

There is such a thing as too much fun.

I think in a way that’s part of getting older, appreciating the simple pleasures of being in the garden.

Love just keeps on coming.

Whatever has gone on in the week, ‘Gardeners’ World’ marks the end of it.

To feel love is the most incredible feeling in the world. To lose it will nearly end you and take you to your knees, but there’s always more.

I know I’m not everyone’s taste and that’s fine, and that is the beauty of digital and radio that you can find what you want to listen to.

My advice to young girls would be, don’t get on a sun bed and don’t smoke – it wrecks your skin.

I wished they did more things like ‘How’ and ‘Tomorrow’s World.’ Programmes about how things work.

Any other illness and you have time off work, but there is a lot of stigma around mental illness. It’s frightening to talk about it. The people suffering don’t want sympathy.

I was one of those kids who ate everyone’s school dinners. They used to call me ‘Pig of The Year.’

I would be more slender if I didn’t eat a bit of chocolate or a cake now and again, but I’m not one of those crazy women who just eat watercress soup – I need to chomp.

It’s a funny age, 40, you do suddenly feel a lot older.

When my brother and I were small, somebody pointed out that we looked like something out of ‘The Dark Crystal.’ I think it was affectionate, but I’ve never been an oil painting.

Age is just a number and beauty is within.

I don’t think that sliding down a wall with a bottle of Sancerre in your hand at 6:30 in the morning is particularly attractive when you’re approaching 40 and you’ve got a kid.

I didn’t see my mum Julia for a few years – she was very young when she married my dad and had me, and when they parted I lived with my dad and my other ‘mum,’ his wife Diane.

I wanted to look like Kelly McGillis in ‘Top Gun.’

When I moved to Manchester, to work as a runner for Granada, I shared with a researcher called Vicky who took pity on my inability to cook and made me meals for three years. Put in charge of cookery on a live kids’ show I’d buy cookies from a shop to show as ‘ones we made earlier.’

A lot of men I have spoken to have said it’s very confusing being a modern man. You want to be sensitive but also strong. You can’t win. It’s really hard trying to be both.

Someone taught me this really lovely thing, which is when you’re panicking or thinking, ‘I can’t do this, I can’t do this,’ you just say, ‘Right. Hi, negative thoughts. Stop bothering me. If you just wait there, I’m going to do this job, then I’ll come back and talk to you later.’

I pride myself on buying really good presents.

The worst thing was being in the car and hearing someone else do your show. Three records in, ‘She’s still not here.’ Four records in, ‘She’s still not here.’

What I’ve always done in my past when life hit a rocky patch was run from trouble into the next relationship. I didn’t realise it would be such a big deal. That was foolish.

I’ve listened to Terry Wogan since I was a girl; my parents listened to David Jacobs and Desmond Carrington.

I have worked for the BBC for a lot of my career and I kind of always did it for the love. People always go, ‘Oooh, well that’s nonsense,’ but it isn’t, I love my job, I love what I do.

It’s not saving the world or anything but I still get such a rush from live television.

I was given a lot of opportunities when I was younger that I kind of threw away.

Nincompoop is such a brilliantly satisfying word.

For a long time I genuinely thought I’d be the next Streisand, so it was crushing to discover that I couldn’t sing or act.

To be given the Radio 1 breakfast show was huge, but I was partying so hard I barely remember it.

On a Friday night, I switch on my log burner, stick on ‘Gardeners’ World’ and I am so happy.

When you get older and have kids your body changes, and you try to accept it.

I remember cream cheese in celery, with a sprinkling of paprika, served at my dad and stepmum’s ‘soirees’ in the 70s, where people danced to Slade in long tartan dresses. I’d go down and eat the cheese cubes left over from cheese and pineapple on sticks, because guests would only eat the pineapple.

I have a terrible fear of more talented people than me thinking I’m just a prat who does kids’ TV.

In my middle age I seem to love a bit of pastoral telly: ‘Countryfile,’ ‘Springwatch.’ I love watching people in nature. It’s a moment of calm, it’s a moment of meditation.

I wish I was slimmer, but cheesecake, crumble and custard, panna cotta… I love ’em all!

I use this little trick where I take my arms up above my head, breathe in really slowly, and repeat. I do it before every show, TV or radio, and people always laugh at me. But it really helps.

It’s taken me a long time to grow up.

I think something that’s really important to share, having spoken now to lots of people who work within mental health support networks or people trying to make a difference, is that there is hope. There is help available.

I went to Manchester, didn’t know anyone, got a job as a runner and worked my butt off. I got paid 60 quid a week, and lived above a pub.

I was lucky enough to go to rehab.

You just have to be you.

I think the ladette culture was a label thing, and it was the nineties and it was Britpop and it was quite wild.

Everything seems to taste better when you aren’t allowed it yet.

There was a time when I found looking back to the 90s a little bit… tricky.

I’ve ridden shopping bikes. My dad held my saddle and pushed me along when I was five. I’ve had a go on a BMX.

When I look at my face, I notice terrible smoker’s lines above my lip and nasty sun damage in the middle of my cheeks.

I was almost arrested in Camden in the 90s.

I generally buy things for people that I’d love to receive myself – so I have plenty of time to curate my own wish list while I shop.

I always eat after a show and I love a big fry-up.

As for Lady GaGa, she’s just a copy of Madonna.

I love a good cup of tea and you can never have too many mugs. Even better if it’s homemade pottery, inspired by ‘The Great Pottery Throw Down.’

I remember Will Smith and me seeing who had the most sticky-out ears.

Brighton is such a good place to bring up kids.

I only have vague memories of the Radio 1 days because it was quite a time.

There is no greater joy than watching your children grow, learn and laugh.