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Zoe Ball reveals her daughter Nelly, 16, has ADHD and is the third member of their household to be identified after her and her son Woody

Zoe Ball has revealed that her 16-year-old daughter Nelly has ADHD – and is the third member of their family to have been diagnosed. 

Radio DJ Zoe, 55, and her son Woody, 25, also have the behavioural condition defined by inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness. 

Zoe shares her two children with her ex husband Norman Cook, better known as DJ Fatboy Slim.

In a new interview with The Mirror, Zoe said that Nell is now on medication which helps her at school.

She said: ‘I always bang on about having ADHD. It’s been by learning about their situation and how they cope with things, deal with things, that I’ve learned about my own.

‘I can see why Nell might live in chaos and her clothes are everywhere. But she started doing a thing now where every Sunday night, she will give herself a couple of hours – tidy her room, get her stuff ready for school, put her things away, have a nice shower.

Zoe Ball has revealed that her 16-year-old daughter Nelly has ADHD - and is the third member of their family to have been diagnosed

Zoe Ball has revealed that her 16-year-old daughter Nelly has ADHD – and is the third member of their family to have been diagnosed 

Radio DJ Zoe, 55, and her son Woody, 25, also have the behavioural condition defined by inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness

Radio DJ Zoe, 55, and her son Woody, 25, also have the behavioural condition defined by inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness

‘And I’ve loved seeing her find this for herself. I’m like, ‘yes.’ You kind of realise in the chaos, you appreciate how much a bit of order really helps. That’s what I’ve tried to do in my life.’

Zoe first revealed her own ADHD diagnosis in December 2023. 

Back in 2024 Zoe’s son Woody revealed that ADHD has helped him become a better DJ, following his Glastonbury debut the previous month. 

He said the condition has now become his ‘unique selling point’ as he moves around so much behind the decks, he stands out from other DJs.

Woody told the Daily Mail: ‘Having ADHD has contributed to my style. I’ve always jumped around a lot as a person’.

‘I was contemplating calling myself Monkey Man as a DJ, by me letting go, it allows the audience to feel it too’.

He explained: ‘I’ve become at one with the DJ and the hype man and this inbetween phase, ADHD has really helped with that’. 

‘As a DJ you’re a performer, you’re not just there to stand there and I think there’s definitely part of my set where the crowd moves because I do.’

Woody started DJing during lockdown in bid to entertain himself and his friends when nightclubs were shut.

(L-R: Woody Cook, Norman Cook, Nelly Cook, Zoe and Ruby Prunstuke)

(L-R: Woody Cook, Norman Cook, Nelly Cook, Zoe and Ruby Prunstuke)

Despite his dad’s success, he claims to have never been given a lesson and is self-taught.

Instead Norman, 60, who’s had three Top 10 albums and seven Top 10 singles during his illustrious career, has given him plenty of life advice, rather than technical, as he embarks on a career in music.

Woody said: ‘He never really gave me any lessons, I didn’t touch decks growing up, he gave me more instructional stuff’.

‘I would ask him questions like, ‘why did you do that in a set?’ ‘Why did you do this?’

‘And he would say ‘you will never be the best DJ out there, but you can be the most unique?’ On a list of ten people, why would they pick you? What would make you unique to a promoter or booker?’.

‘So he gave me a lot of life lessons rather than actual hands-on stuff.’

Woody added: ‘It was just my own curiosity. I was like, ‘I’ll teach myself.’

Zoe rang in her daughter Nelly’s sweet 16th birthday back in January with a series of adorable throwbacks including ex-husband Norman.

The radio presenter and the DJ, 62, split in 2016 after 18 years of marriage but have remained close friends and co-parents to their children.

Uploading a montage of snaps from over the years to Instagram, Zoe wrote: ‘Happy Sweet 16 BG ♥️ love you Nelly Noodle.’

Photos included a baby Nelly on the beach in their hometown of Brighton with her dad as well as other sweet family snaps. 

Sharing his own tribute, her brother Woody posted a carousel of photos of them both together. 

He captioned his update: ‘Happy Birthday to my Favourite Sister I’ll ever have!!!!!!!’ 

Zoe and Norman reunited over the festive break and joked that they were ‘putting the funk into dysfunctional’ while celebrating Christmas with their children.

WHAT IS ADHD?

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a behavioural condition defined by inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness.

It affects around five per cent of children in the US. Some 3.6 per cent of boys and 0.85 per cent of girls suffer in the UK. 

Symptoms typically appear at an early age and become more noticeable as a child grows. These can also include:

  • Constant fidgeting 
  • Poor concentration
  • Excessive movement or talking
  • Acting without thinking
  • Inability to deal with stress 
  • Little or no sense of danger 
  • Careless mistakes
  • Mood swings
  • Forgetfulness 
  • Difficulty organising tasks
  • Continually starting new tasks before finishing old ones
  • Inability to listen or carry out instructions 

Most cases are diagnosed between six and 12 years old. Adults can also suffer, but there is less research into this.

ADHD’s exact cause is unclear but is thought to involve genetic mutations that affect a person’s brain function and structure.

Premature babies and those with epilepsy or brain damage are more at risk. 

ADHD is also linked to anxiety, depression, insomnia, Tourette’s and epilepsy.  

There is no cure. 

A combination of medication and therapy is usually recommended to relieve symptoms and make day-to-day life easier. 

Source: NHS Choices