Norman Cook, otherwise known as Fatboy Slim, has gushed about his close relationship with his ex wife Zoe Ball.
The DJ, who is 61 years old, and Radio 2 star Zoe, aged 54, ended their 18-year marriage in 2016 but have continued to maintain a close friendship and successfully co-parent their two children, Woody, aged 24, and Nelly, aged 15.
In a recent interview focused on promoting his coffee table photo book that reflects on his remarkable career, Norman took a moment to contemplate his long-lasting bond with Zoe, whom he referred to as his ‘soulmate’.
Norman expressed his admiration for his former partner, recognizing her unwavering support during their rise to fame in the 1990s. Reflecting on that time, he recalled how he was fully immersed in the moment, living in the excitement of the present without much thought for the future, likening it to riding a giant wave that demanded his complete focus and balance.
‘You concentrate on not falling off. It became a whirlwind, but to be honest Zoe helped me through it as she knew that level of fame before.’
Speaking to The Mirror, he gushed: ‘Zoe is a very kind, thoughtful person and she just had this way of just checking my ego like “We are still human beings. We are still nice to people.”‘
Norman Cook, otherwise known as Fatboy Slim, has gushed about his close relationship with his ex wife Zoe Ball, calling her his ‘soulmate’ (pictured in 2001)
‘She brought me through the trickier bits. If you are out with your mates you can’t say to them “I am having trouble coping with fame.” You are not going to get a lot of sympathy.
‘But to Zoe I could say “I am a bit scared. Is this not scary?” We could talk about it as we were thrust into the same spotlight. It was nice to have a soulmate in there with you.’
Norman and Zoe’s son Woody Cook recently revaled how his parents have been ‘gardening’ and ‘doing puzzles’ and working in a local cafe since Zoe quit her six-figure radio job.
Radio presenter Zoe 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 last month, 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 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.
The DJ, 61, and Radio 2 star Zoe, 54, split in 2016 after 18 years of marriage but have remained close friends and co parents to their children Woody, 24, and Nelly, 15
In a new interview to promote his new book looking back at his career, Norman has reflected on his enduring relationship with his ‘soulmate’ Zoe (pictured on their wedding day in 1999)
Praising his ex for her support when they both rocketed to fame in the 1990s, Normal gushedL ‘Zoe is a very kind, thoughtful person and she just had this way of just checking my ego
‘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.’
Fatboy Slim has owned the Big Beach Cafe in Hove, East Sussex since 2013.
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.
