Jo Whiley said 2025 was "a rollercoaster of a year" for her, following a series of unexpected and emotional family changes. Back in August, the Radio 2 presenter struggled to fight back tears as she revealed her husband had accidentally run over their family cat Simba.
Alongside the tragedy, Jo also experienced sudden changes in her personal life when she became a carer for her parents.
Reflecting on last year, she told her co-star Zoe Ball on their Dig It podcast: "Towards the end of the year, just to say, my parents have had loads of health issues, so I've suddenly hit that point of my life, which I know a lot of our diggers are at as well, so suddenly becoming a carer and sorting out lots of hospital appointments.
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"And scans and caring for them and being a sibling with someone with a learning disability has also figured large in the second half of this year.
"So, it's been a rollercoaster of a year, it's not been an easy year, it's been a rollercoaster and I'm still on the rollercoaster now, as we all are," she added.
Following what she described as a "manic" year, the 60-year-old said she is now looking forward to a calmer 2026.
"Literally, I don't think I've had a day when I've not been doing something," she shared.
"So next year, I'm trying to calm everything down, spend more time with my friends and family and do a little bit less, carrying on doing the pod, doing the radio and doing my 90s anthems show, but also, kind of, not do so many maybe.
"And also getting back into fitness, I'm going to try and run and do more swimming."
Revealing she has signed up for a half marathon in April, she added: "Once you sign up to something, you've got to do the training, it makes you get out there and run. It's certainly the only way I can deal with it."
While reflecting on 2025, Jo also revisited the heartbreaking loss of their family cat.
Previously sharing the sad news with Zoe, she recalled her husband Steve calling her "in a complete panic" as she was returning home from holiday.
Jo explained that after moving the cat out of the way on their driveway, Steve believed she had gone, only to realise she hadn’t.
"We just can't work out what on earth happened," she said.
Jo went on to say her husband was devastated by the incident, particularly due to the close bond he shared with Simba.
“He’s in a world of pain,” she said. “We had to spend the whole day yesterday – luckily the kids weren’t at home when it happened – and a vet came over and put [Simba] out of her misery.
"We just had to wait and work out the words to say and tell the kids.”
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