Zoe Ball’s parenting sacrifice: A mirror of God’s steadfast love

Vicki Whent reflects on Zoe Ball’s decision to step back from her high-profile BBC role to support her daughter, and how it mirrors her own experience as a parent putting life on hold for her teenager. She draws a powerful parallel between parenting’s quiet sacrifices and the often-unnoticed love and provision of God.

Ever felt as though your life is on hold so you can be there for your teenagers? Zoe Ball does. Speaking on Rob Beckett and Josh Widdicombe’s Parenting Hell podcast this week, she explained that she gave up her lucrative $950,000 a year job fronting BBC 2’s breakfast show to be there for her daughter Nelly.

“I gave up work because she’s going to do her GCSEs, but she’s never here, she’s out with her mates, I’m like ‘I’ve given up work for you’,” Zoe lamented.

While Rob and Josh laughed along with Zoe at the irony of it all, the podcast really hit home for me because last December I also gave up work to support my son through GCSEs.