Zoe Ball broke down in tears after uncovering heartbreaking details about her family history during an episode of Who Do You Think You Are? The 55-year-old BBC presenter traced her family tree in the latest installment of the genealogy series, only to discover the tragic story of her grandmother, Margaret 'Peggy' Minto.
Peggy was committed to a hospital with acute mania after being put on trial for shoplifting. The former Radio 2 host was visibly shaken as she learned about her grandmother's struggles. Speaking to the camera, Zoe said it was strange to think that Peggy had mental health issues when she seemed like 'such a lovely lady.'
Peggy's Difficult Life
At the age of 15, Peggy—the daughter of a coal miner—left school to work as a domestic servant for wealthy families. She later became deeply depressed when her eldest daughter, son-in-law, and their child moved to Lancashire. According to historical experts, Peggy began fabricating stories about herself and became 'excessively extravagant with money,' running up large bills.
In 1963, at the age of 50, she was arrested for shoplifting. During her trial, doctors committed her when she began expressing 'grandiose ideas.' She died in 1970 at the age of 66, when Zoe was just nine years old. Her death certificate listed pneumonia, liver failure, and manic-depressive psychosis.
A Letter Brings Comfort
Despite the painful details, Zoe became emotional after reading a letter Peggy had written, mentioning knitting jumpers for Zoe's mother, Julia, who died from cancer in April 2024. 'I am really happy just to see she is doing well,' Ball said while crying. 'Bless her heart. I am so relieved that she was okay again. Seeing my mum's name in there as well. Thank you for showing me that. I am so glad she managed to get the right treatment. She was able to be a mother and a grandma.'
Viewers React
Viewers praised Zoe's courage for exploring her family history. Jack wrote on X: 'What an exciting/nerve racking thing to do.' Alice called the episode 'very moving and fascinating,' while Laura added: 'A really brilliant episode so far as I'm watching it. The letters from your grandma are so insightful about mental health issues. I'm sure they will be helpful for so many people to see.' Phil commented: 'Loved it, very interesting and some sad moments. I lost my mum 19 years ago and I've found out family bits from her past she'd be really happy and shocked to hear about.'
Other Family Discoveries
Elsewhere in the episode, Zoe uncovered that another branch of her family living in Glasgow were crammed into a four-storey apartment with around 50 people and only one toilet. Many family members died from illnesses including tuberculosis and laryngitis, while several children survived only a few days.
Who Do You Think You Are? is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
