Zoe Ball and Fatboy Slim have been ‘gardening, doing puzzles and dealing in a neighborhood cafe’ after she give up her six-figure BBC Radio 2 gig following prolonged break

Zoe Ball and Fatboy Slim’s son Woody Cook has told how his parents have been ‘gardening’ and ‘doing puzzles’ since she quit her six-figure radio job.

Radio presenter Zoe, 54, stepped down from her BBC Radio 2 breakfast show in December to ‘focus on her family’, bidding farewell to her lucrative £950,000 salary.

Her departure came after an extended break earlier in the year when her mother Julia died from cancer, and she is now enjoying some time off with her family before returning to airwaves in March with a new project.

Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, her son Woody, 24, gave an insight into how she has been spending her time since quitting her job, focusing on ‘gardening’ and ‘doing puzzles’.

He admitted it has been ‘funny’ watching his ‘crazy party’ parents Zoe and Norman Cook, also known as Fatboy Slim, ditching wild nights out for more calm hobbies.

‘In the last five years, it’s been funny watching my parents take up gardening both of them,’ Woody – who was promoting his Specsavers partnership – shared. 

‘These crazy party people I grew up with are now gardening, making puzzles and working in the local café. 

‘It’s very funny to see that transitional period, just as I’m kind of leaving the nest and now at the start of something big for me in music.’ 

Zoe and Norman were known for their hard-partying ways back in the 2000s and have both since spoken about their battles with alcohol.

They tied the knot in 1999 and welcomed their son Woody and a daughter Nelly, 15, together before they split up in 2016, though they remain very close friends.

Woody also addressed his mother’s departure from her radio show, saying he is thrilled about her decision because he can now spend more time with her.

After six years at the helm, Zoe handed her BBC Radio 2 breakfast show over to Scott Mills after stepping down to ‘focus on family’ just months after her mother Julia’s death in April.

Zoe will be back on BBC airwaves in March with a mystery new project, and Woody said it has been nice to be able to see her more during her time off.

‘It’s lovely seeing my mum more, because obviously she’s had quite a weird schedule for the last few years,’ the Celebrity Gogglebox star, who lives in Bristol, said.

‘I’m actually gonna go spend some time with [my family] in Brighton soon to continue working on music because I might get more done not being with my mates Bristol.’

Woody said he barely saw his mother when she was working because she would wake up early for her radio show, while he would start his work as a DJ at midnight.

He shared: ‘I was just gassed [when she stepped down] because my schedule and her schedules are the opposite! I go to work at between 12am or 3am and my mum gets up to work at 4am, so I’m still awake from the day before when she’s waking up. 

‘There were a lot of times when we were on literally the opposite schedules, so to have a bit more togetherness and be able to see each other more is nice. 

‘I think it’s going to bring everyone together more, so I’m really excited. She’s worked so hard for it and there was a lot of stress with the job and everything, so I think it’s a great time for her to see her friends and family more.’

During Zoe’s time off, she jetted over to New York to spend time with Woody as he spent three months there making music, a time which meant a lot to The Circle star.

The proud son said he is overjoyed his mother now has more time to do the things she enjoys but teased that she still has some exciting career plans coming up.

He shared: ‘All the things she’s been putting off or not had time to do, she can just do now. 

‘And who knows what will come next? That might be the more you know up in the air, but at the moment, you know, she’s great and we’re definitely more of a family unit than we’ve ever been.’

Woody also told how the death of Zoe’s mother Julia, as well as his paternal grandmother’s passing on Christmas Day, has brought his family closer together.

‘We’re all coming together, last year made all of us remember how much we treasure everyone in our lives,’ he added. ‘With losing some people, it really brings everyone else closer together.’

In another big change, Woody’s music producer father Norman recently said he has ‘lost his passion’ for making songs and will not be creating any new tracks.

However, Woody insisted it is not a sign that Norman is stepping back or slowing down in his career as he reassured fans that he will still be gracing the stage.

He said: ‘He’s not really been making music for the last kind of 10 years. He’s mainly just makes edits, but he’s definitely not slowing down! 

‘He’s still on 80+ shows a year and constantly touring and he’s got a book thing coming out and all this other stuff. 

‘He’s definitely not slowing down in any respect, I think he’s just been like ”if you guys are waiting for more music” – I think that was giving him grey hairs!’

Woody also touched on the recent debate surrounding famous ‘nepo babies’, which refers to someone who has a career in the same field as their parents and is thought to have benefited from such connections.

The TV personality said he is ‘grateful’ for his upbringing and start in life, admitting he can never know what his life or career would be like if he wasn’t a ‘nepo baby’.

He said he didn’t want to become a DJ at first because he didn’t want to be a ‘worse version’ of his father Norman as he spoke about the pressure of having a famous parent.

‘I didn’t really want to become a DJ in the first place because I felt that I didn’t want the Damian Marley effect of seeming like I was a ”nepo baby”, but this was before that was even a term,’ he shared. 

‘I just didn’t want to feel like I was a worse version of someone else. I only started DJing by accident because I’d been producing for a long time and Covid hit, so I started DJing and I worked my ass off. 

‘It’s one of those things, anyone can throw that term [nepo baby] around and I can’t tell you where I’d be had I not had my dad as a dad, because I wouldn’t be me. 

‘Genetically, just the DNA he’s passed me is just as important as other things because he’s obsessed with music and now I’m obsessed with music, that’s the nature vs nurture thing. 

‘I can’t ever live in a world where that didn’t happen but I can just be grateful and I can say more than anything, my parents are some of the best parents I’ve ever met, and that has shaped who I am. They are so supportive and so wise.’

‘In many ways we try not to become our parents, like OK I got my dad’s hairline but I also got his obsession with music – so you win some, you lose some,’ he quipped. 

He urged fans to come and watch his live shows to make up their mind about his talents for themselves before judging him based off his family background.

Looking ahead in his career, Woody said he has no plans of stopping DJing and hinted that he might release new music later this year.

He also teased that he might be back at a festival this summer, cryptically adding: ‘If anyone was a fan of me hosting a festival stage last year…’ 

His comments came as he spoke to MailOnline to promote his partnership with Specsavers to mark Tinnitus Awareness Week, which ran from February 3-9.

Woody has been a longtime tinnitus sufferer and has warned others about the dangers of the disorder, particularly musicians and regular festivalgoers.

Tinnitus is the name for hearing noises, such as ringing, buzzing or hissing, that are not caused by an outside source, according to the NHS.

Woody shared his concerns about potentially losing his hearing in ’30 to 50 years’ after ‘damaging’ his ears with loud music.

‘After I’ve done events and things, I hear ringing quite frequently,’ he shared.

‘It’s mainly when it’s quiet, stuff like that, but then it can sometimes just be a random ring now and then.

‘The exact symptoms aren’t that bad, but it’s more what it represents and the damage that you’re doing. You know, will I be able to hear you in 30 or 50 years?’ 

Woody said his initial symptoms included hearing ‘ringing’ in a quiet room but he thought that everyone dealt with it, before realising there was a bigger problem.

Woody said he never considered quitting DJing because of his tinnitus but now has precautions in place, including wearing ear plugs and standing further away from the speakers.

‘Part of the Specsavers’ mission is that anyone can get a hearing test if they think they’re exhibiting symptoms and anyone can hearing protection,’ Woody said. 

‘They want more and more nightclubs to offer it out, and it be given to bar workers. The sound technicians, they know about it, but the rest of us don’t know as much about it, so the advice is education for everyone.

‘You’re never too young to get an ear test, you’re going to be trapped with the same ones for the rest of your life,’ he added before quipping: ‘Just like anything in life, wear protection!’