Monday, 16 March 2009

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Zoe Ball and Norman Cook's baby rehab

Is Fatboy Slim on a fertility detox?

Zoe Ball has been open about her desire to have another child with hubby Norman Cook aka Fatboy Slim

When Norman Cook, aka Fatboy Slim, made the decision to go into rehab, it marked the end of two decades of hard partying for the star.

In the past, he’s freely admitted to snorting cocaine off a railway line and being fed ‘cheeky halves’ of ecstasy by fans while on stage DJing.

But it’s not just turning 46 this year that’s prompted his decision to seek professional help. Now can reveal that he and his wife, presenter Zoe Ball, 38, are desperate for another baby and fear his partying may not be helping their chances.

The couple have one son, Woody, eight, and Zoe’s been open about her longing for another child. As far back as 2006 she said she’d consider fertility treatment if necessary. ‘We’ve been trying for another baby, but it’s just not happening,’ she said.'

But three years on, there’s still no baby in sight. ‘Zoe’s 40 next year, so it’s a “now or never” situation,’ says a source close to the couple.

Zoe has polycystic ovary syndrome, which can make conceiving difficult, but Norman’s fertility may also have been affected by his drug and alcohol consumption. He once said that it still takes at least half a bottle of vodka to get him on stage because he can’t perform sober.

Zoe’s also keen for the pair to live a holistic, organic lifestyle while they try for a baby, in the hopes of improving their fertility naturally. But for Norman, that’s proved very difficult.

‘Yes, Norman’s managed to cut back on the class A drugs, such as cocaine and ecstasy,’ says an insider. ‘But actually it’s smoking pot and drinking alcohol that he can’t do without. Zoe’s convinced that his lifestyle is affecting her chances of being a mum again. That’s led to some real screaming rows.’

The pair split dramatically back in 2003 when Zoe left Norman for another DJ, Dan Peppe, for two months, before returning to her husband and son. Ever since then, they’ve been trying for another child. ‘Initially it was all very lighthearted, but five years down the line she’s feeling quite desperate,’ says our source.

See the full story about Norman Cook and Zoe Ball in Now magazine dated 16 March 2009 - out now!