A TELEVISION presenter has received praise from viewers after she completed an epic 350-mile cycle in memory of her Darwen boyfriend who took his own life.
Zoe Ball’s Hardest Way Home aired on BBC One on Wednesday evening, following the TV and radio presenter's five-day bike ride from Blackpool to Brighton.
The emotional programme saw her confront her emotions and look back on her time with Billy Yates, her partner who took his life in 2017.
Billy, originally from Darwen, struggled with depression before his death and Zoe felt compelled to take on the challenge in his memory.
Zoe, host of Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two, undertook the epic challenge to raise money for Sport Relief and to 'get more people talking about mental health'.
The 47-year-old broke down in tears as she opened up about the last time she had seen Billy, who worked as a TV cameraman.
She said: “He got on his bike and he cycled off. He turned around and he blew me a kiss goodbye, and that was the last time I saw him.”
Speaking about their final moments together, she said: “I love him so much, we’ll find some help and it will all be okay. I wish I’d told him that.”
During the airing of the programme, messages of support came flooding in for the presenter with people calling her 'absolutely amazing' and an 'inspiration'.
Zoe Ball #HardestRoadHome great effort 🙌#SportRelief2018 #ZoeBall
— Danish (@danish_1024) March 21, 2018
#hardestwayhome Zoe ball is such a inspiration. I had no idea her boyfriend committed suicide. I want to hug her so much. 😰😥 my heart breaks. Jesus 😒
— Gracie xo (@gracielou_xx) March 21, 2018
Ive fallen in love with @ZoeTheBall after tonights #hardestroadhome. The lady is a national treasure what a moving story. #ZoeBall #BBC #SportRelief #SportRelief2018
— ScreamEntertainments (@SCREAMENTERTAIN) March 21, 2018
While undertaking the trip, she also spent time visiting a number of mental health organisations to try and understand why suicide is the biggest killer of men in the UK under 45.
Before she undertook the challenge, Zoe said she hoped to give people living with mental illness a way to find some hope and begin conversations that can ultimately be life-saving.
She said: “I had taken on the challenge because I felt compelled to do something positive in my boyfriend’s memory after he died last year following a long struggle with depression.”
An emotional watch but so so important. #zoeball #hardestroadhome
— Victoria Aitchison (@toraitchison) March 21, 2018
Just watched #hardestroadhome Tearjerker, well-done #ZoeBall
— Linda (@diamondsforex) March 21, 2018
Another great effort by a celeb to raise much needed funds and to bring mh issues to the fore! Well done Zoe Ball. #itsoktotalk #zoeball #sportsrelief2018
— DD Murden (@deedsmusic) March 21, 2018
It has now been confirmed that she has raised more than £500,000 for Sport Relief by completing the challenge.
Watch Zoe Ball’s Hardest Way Home on iPlayer.
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