Zoe Ball returned to her Radio 2 Breakfast Show on Monday morning after taking a week off work to care for her mother who was recently diagnosed with cancer.

The presenter was back in the studio, opening her show with the words: ‘It’s me! I’ve missed you all, I’ve been looking after my dear ma but back to bother you though.’

She later gave an update on her mum Julia, explaining: ‘Sadly, hearbreakingly her cancer is quite advanced but we’re just making lots of lovely memories’.

‘It’s wonderful to be back in the seat. Thank you so much for all your lovely messages about my mum, she’s listening this morning. She’s doing OK and I’m sending out so much love to lots of people looking after us. There’s a very nice pair of chaps called Vic and Tom who took us to A&E in an ambulance last week. My mum and I had never been in an ambulance before. It was fascinating stuff. There was an amazing team at A&E, all of them doing such amazing week.

‘I’ve met some lovely people after going in and out of hospitals for the past few weeks.  Many of you have been telling me your own stories about loved ones and your own cancer stories so thank you for sharing. Those messages have meant so much, I’ve been reading them out to my my mum.’

She later added that her she and her mother had been spending their week ‘watching a lot of Big Brother.’ 

The BBC star quipped ‘I have now watched a lot of a certain channel with my mum, I now know my mum’s habits. GMB with Susanna Reid and then we have a bit of Lorraine and then a bit of Cat and Ben on This Morning and then a lot of Ben on Tipping Point.’

Zoe Ball returned to her Radio 2 Breakfast Show on Monday morning after taking a week off work to care for her mother who was recently diagnosed with cancer 

On March 7 the presenter announced she was taking some time away from the show as her mother Julia Peckham has been diagnosed with cancer 

On March 7 the presenter announced she was taking some time away from the show as her mother Julia Peckham has been diagnosed with cancer, with Gaby Roslin stepping in for her shows last week. 

In an emotional Instagram post, the Radio DJ, 53, said she and her family were going through ‘tough times’ amid the diagnosis but praised her for being ‘brave’.

Zoe shared a photo of her mother, 74, surrounded by family members along with another of her receiving chemotherapy.

Alongside the post, she wrote: ‘Heartbreakingly our beautiful Mama Julia has been diagnosed with Cancer. 

‘As many of you know from experience, these are extremely tough times. Mum is being incredibly brave.

‘My brother Jamie & I are completely in awe of the brilliant Doctors, Nurses & support teams looking after Mum. Thank you.

‘Gratitude to our families & our extended family & friends at home & at work for their support at this time.

‘Sending out love to people reading this who are battling cancer, or awaiting diagnosis & also to the folk looking after their dear ones who are poorly.’

In an emotional Instagram post, the Radio DJ, 53, said she and her family were going through ‘tough times’ amid the diagnosis but praised her for being ‘brave’

The Radio DJ, 53, said she and her family were going through ‘tough times’ amid her mother Julia Peckham’s diagnosis but praised her for being ‘brave’ (Zoe and Julia pictured in 2011)

 Zoe added that Gaby Roslin would be filling in for her on her breakfast show while she spends time with her mother. 

She wrote: ‘I’m trying to be at work on breakfast as often as I can but occasionally need to be home with my Mama. Thanks to Gaby for stepping in. Lots of love ❤️’.