Johnny Ball, 87, Shares Prostate Cancer Battle & Remains Optimistic
Beloved television personality Johnny Ball, father of presenter Zoe Ball, has revealed he was diagnosed with prostate cancer in August 2022. The 87-year-old, known for his long career presenting children’s programmes like Play School (starting in 1967) and Think Of A Number, successfully completed three months of daily radiation treatment beginning in September and is now in remission.
Ball, reflecting on the diagnoses, acknowledged the losses of friends Harry Secombe and Bob Monkhouse to the same disease. “My friend Harry Secombe didn’t survive it, Bob Monkhouse didn’t survive it,” he told The Mirror. “I’m 20 years younger than them, and I am lucky, because now we can cure it.” He emphasized the importance of appreciating life, stating, “You’ve got to cash in on what’s wonderful about life today and stop dwelling on what’s dreary and depressing.”
Maintaining a proactive approach to health, Ball follows a daily routine of stretching and light weightlifting with 2kg dumbbells, each lasting approximately two and a half minutes. He continues to work, primarily delivering educational presentations in schools and on stage, declaring, “I would never retire. It’s a joy to still be working.”
Recently celebrating his golden wedding anniversary with his wife, Dianne, a former dance instructor whom he calls his “soul mate,” Ball credits their shared energy and mindset – both being Geminis – for their active lifestyle. The couple, who live in Buckinghamshire with their cocker spaniel, Holly, regularly enjoy long walks, recently completing a four-mile trek.
Despite his good health, Ball is a passionate advocate for charitable giving, serving as an ambassador for Remember A Charity.He encourages individuals to consider leaving a legacy through their wills, explaining, “We’re all part of a great human relay race. You get your own lap, and then others get one after you. Leaving something in your will is like passing the baton to the next generation.”
Ball’s recent television appearances include a memorable stint on Celebrity Gogglebox with Zoe and Woody in 2023, where he humorously dismissed the idea of appearing on Love Island as possibly “exhausting” and concerned about inclusivity. He also expressed a desire to return to Strictly Come Dancing, having been the show’s oldest contestant in 2012 at age 74 – a record later broken by Angela Rippon in 2023.”I could do Strictly now at 87,” he affirmed.
