💔 ‘I WAS IN AGONY’ — Michael Ball reveals heartbreaking reason behind shock exit as health struggles force him to step back from career he loves

Michael Ball is one of Britain’s most celebrated musical theatre stars, rising to fame in the on-stage production Les Misérables and earning acclaim for a number of roles.

Starring in The Phantom of the Opera, Michael has also gained chart success, earned an Olivier Award for his outstanding performances, and is a regular face on TV.

But behind the scenes, the singer has been grappling with debilitating health issues.

In recent news, as his debilitating health worsened, Michael has been forced to step back from his long-running BBC radio show and quit starring in Les Misérables, branding the move “the end of an era”.

We’ve taken a deeper look inside the 63-year-old’s life.

Michael had been dealing with ongoing pain for three years, but it reached a breaking point during an eight-week run of Les Misérables in Australia the previous year, which forced him to quit the production.

After a 40-year run working on Les Mis, in a previous interview with Daily Express, the singer said, “I went for physio, and it wasn’t getting any better. I had a cortisone injection, which helped, but after two days, I was in agony and really limping.

“They took me for an MRI scan, and the doctor said the ligament was completely ruptured and severed, and I’d got bone-on- bone on the joint, and that my hip had to be replaced. He said, ‘You must be in a really severe amount of pain’. I went, ‘Well, it’s nice to know I’m not just being a drama queen!’” The doctor advised Michael to fly back to England for surgery, but he refused.

But as things got worse, the singer later underwent hip replacement surgery.

Talking about his lifestyle changes since surgery, he revealed: “I’m going to the gym, oh, at least once every week. I’m not wholeheartedly throwing myself into this. It’s gradual, I’m dipping my toe in. But I’m out every day, I do long walks with the dogs, and I’m eating more healthily.”

Speaking about stepping away from the show he loved, he added: “So that’s me, and Les Mis finished. It’s the end of an era. It’s a pretty big decision, but it feels right. For me, it was time.”

Relationship

Michael has shared a long-standing partnership with Cathy McGowan, 81, a former journalist and television presenter widely recognised for fronting the 1960s music show Ready Steady Go!.

The two first crossed paths in the 1980s and have lived together since 1992. They haven’t had children together, but Michael has taken on the role of stepfather to Cathy’s daughter, Emma, from her earlier marriage.

Speaking about their 20-year age difference, Michael previously told Platinum magazine: “Every night is a date night with Cathy! I’m too old to be a toy boy, and age has never been an issue or thought about. We’ve been together about 30 years now, and all I can say is I wish I looked as young as she does, because she looks amazing!”

When asked about why they never decided to tie the knot, Michael told The Mirror in 2019: “My public life is insane, but once that front door closes, I leave that version of myself outside, and I just like to relax at home.”

Family

The singer does not have any biological children; this is due to a serious parachuting accident in his younger years that left him unable to have children.

However, he has embraced family life as a caring and involved stepfather to his long-time partner Cathy’s daughter, Emma, and also plays an active role in the lives of her children, Connor and Grace.