TV presenter Zoe Ball has announced she will be undertaking a cycling challenge for Sports Relief in memory of her boyfriend.

She shared the news with Chris Evans on his Radio 2 Breakfast Show yesterday and said she hoped to raise awareness around mental health issues after her boyfriend, Billy Yates, from Darwen, took his own life last year.

She said: “I lost my boyfriend last year.

“He had been living with depression and I was left with a lot of questions.

I knew I wanted to do something.

“I have a platform, so I wanted to use it to raise awareness.

“I wanted to do something for him and everyone living with mental illness.”

As well as the cycling challenge, Zoe announced she would be making a documentary exploring projects that provide support for people suffering from mental health issues.

She said: “We hear that mental health resources are under a lot of pressure so often, people are not getting enough support.

“I am going to visit projects that are giving people hope and helping.

“I want to reduce the stigma and discrimination associated with mental health issues.

“That is my motivation.”