A BBC Radio 2 favourite has revealed how a painful health condition left them unable to walk and forced a major career decision after years of suffering in silence10:17, 25 Jun 2026BBC Radio 2 presenter and musical theatre favourite Michael Ball has opened up about the debilitating health problem that left him struggling to walk and forced him to step away from major professional commitments.‌Speaking to Saga Magazine, the 64-year-old revealed that years of worsening hip pain eventually culminated in a diagnosis that required urgent surgery.‌Michael explained that the issue had been troubling him for several years but became significantly worse while he was working overseas.‌"I’d been having intermittent pain with my hip for years and it was getting worse. I knew it would have to be seen too but I was too busy and had just soldiered through a UK tour with Alfie Boe," he told Saga Magazine.The star then travelled to Australia to appear in Les Misérables, but found the pain becoming increasingly difficult to manage during rehearsals.‌"Then when I was in rehearsals for Les Mis in Australia I was in a lot of pain. A cortisone injection helped but a week into rehearsals, I could hardly walk and was in agony, hobbling around on stage," he recalled.Although medication provided some relief, Michael said there were limits to how much he could take while continuing to perform.After undergoing scans, doctors discovered the true extent of the damage.‌"After a scan, I was told the ligament on my hip had severed and there was no cartilage, so it was bone on bone, and the bone was wearing away. My hip had to be replaced as soon as possible, so that was booked for my return to the UK," he said.Despite being advised that he needed surgery, Michael completed the remainder of his Australian run before returning home. He admitted that one unlikely source of entertainment helped distract him from the pain.He said: "What got me through six more weeks of agony was The Traitors. Every day, between shows, we played our own version of the TV show and I thought I can’t go home until I know who the traitors are."‌However, the condition became so severe that he was unable to appear in every performance."I missed two Les Mis shows though because I literally couldn’t walk," he added.‌Just a week after returning to Britain, Michael underwent hip replacement surgery, which he described as transformative.He said: "A week after getting home, I had the operation and it was a game changer. It was then I realised I’d been existing with chronic pain for three years."Michael, who first rose to prominence through Les Misérables and later starred in productions including The Phantom of the Opera, recently confirmed that his long association with Les Mis has now come to an end.Article continues belowReflecting on his recovery, he revealed he has gradually returned to exercise and now enjoys regular walks with his dogs while making healthier lifestyle choices.He also acknowledged that stepping away from the production after more than four decades was a major decision, but one that felt right as he looks ahead to the next chapter of his career.