BBC star Michael Ball has been supported by fans after revealing the heartbreaking news that his mum has died.
The star took to X to share a post of his mum, Ruth Parry Ball, to announce her passing.
4
4
She looked in great spirits in the throwback photo, in an all white outfit with a wide brimmed hat on.
Ruth died at the age of 91, and Michael penned to his followers: “Ruth Parry Ball1934-2025x”
Fans flooded the comments with their condolences, as one person wrote: “Awww Michael I’m so so sorry. Your heart must be broken. I honestly know how you feel. My Mum died on Tuesday and the tears has not stopped.”
A second person said: “Michael I’m sorry for your loss. My condolences to you and your family.”
Read More on Michael Ball
A third commented: “What a beautiful photo. So sorry for your loss.”
And someone else said: “So sorry to see this. God bless her and all who love her and will miss her.”
Michael shared a close bond with his mum, and would often post photos of her on social media.
Last year, he spoke about how they’d celebrated her 90th birthday with a post of them all doing a zipline.
He said: “We celebrated my dear mum’s 90th birthday this past weekend with a trip to Wales with the whole family. What did we get up to, I hear you ask – well we took a 90 year old on the fastest zipline in the world of course! Mx”
Michael and his dear mum could be seen smiling away as they got ready to take the zipline on.
The star has an English father, and his mum Ruth was Welsh.
Michael’s dad is Tony Ball, who was awarded an MBE for services to the industry.
Meanwhile, Michael was appointed an OBE in 2015 for his services to musical theatre.
As a teenager Ball joined a youth theatre, then studied at Guildford School of Acting.
His first role was in Godspell in Aberystwyth, but he got his first major break in The Pirate of Penzance in Manchester.
He later went on to play Raoul in The Phantom Of The Opera before going on to represent the UK in the 1992 Eurovision Song Contest – where he finished in second place with the song One Step Out Of Time.
More recently, Michael has taken stage roles in shows like Hairspray and Sweeney Todd.
4
4