BBC Radio 2 presenter Zoe Ball has shared surprisingly personal details about what she finds attractive in her new live-in boyfriend during a candid conversation on her podcast.
Intimate Confessions on the 'Dig It' Podcast
The 55-year-old broadcaster, speaking with co-host Jo Whiley on their Dig It podcast, revealed a series of unconventional preferences. She affectionately refers to her new partner, who has moved into her home, as 'The Lodger'. Ball confessed to having a particular fondness for her partner's natural scent, specifically mentioning armpits.
'Sniffing pits is sexy though,' she stated. 'I've often had this thing, when I've been sort of dating someone, I love smelling their armpits. I know it sounds weird, but if you love someone, you've got to love all their smells.' She was quick to clarify, however, that she draws the line at bathroom smells.
Lingering Scents and Borrowed Clothes
Ball elaborated on her connection to scent, describing it as a comforting and intimate part of a relationship. 'My favourite thing to often do is sometimes, especially if I've not seen my lover for a while, is when they've got their arms around you, I'm like sniffing in the armpits,' she explained.
She drew parallels to the behaviour of young people in love, noting that her own children borrow their partners' clothes to keep their scent. 'I have a thing that if my partner goes away, I don't like to wash the bed until they get back,' Ball added. 'A, because I'm worried they might not come back, and B, I love the smell. I love the smell of them on the pillows.'
A Mystery Man with a Decorated Career
While Zoe Ball has chosen to keep her new boyfriend's identity private, she has previously hinted at his professional success. She has mentioned that he has won more awards than she has throughout his career. This new romance follows her last known relationship with construction worker Michael Reed, which ended in 2023.
The mother-of-two, who shares son Woody, 24, and daughter Nelly, 16, with ex-husband Fatboy Slim (Norman Cook), also reflected on how scent can signal the end of a romance. 'If you go off someone, you know you've gone off them if they suddenly, the smells you used to love about them starts to smell a bit funky,' she mused.
Ball and Cook were together for 18 years before separating in 2016. Despite past challenges, including a brief split in 2003 after Ball's affair with DJ Dan Peppe, the ex-couple remain close friends and are often seen together supporting their children.
