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Zoe Ball posts final heartbreaking photo of late boyfriend Billy Yates

The Strictly star shared the image after attending Billy's funeral

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Gemma Strong
Online Digital News Director
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Zoe Ball has shared a poignant photograph of her late boyfriend Billy Yates. The Strictly It Takes Two star uploaded the image on Tuesday, one day after saying her final goodbyes to Billy at a private funeral ceremony. Zoe, 46, and Billy, who worked as a BBC cameraman on The Antiques Roadshow, were together for around six months before his untimely death earlier this month. The image shows Billy lying in the sun, with his eyes closed and a smile on his face. Alongside the photo, heartbroken Zoe wrote: "Goodnight my beautiful Boy. I'll be loving you always."

zoe ball boyfriend© Photo: Instagram

Zoe Ball has shared a heartbreaking photo of her late boyfriend Billy Yates

Her post was met with an outpouring of support from fans and friends. "Yesterday was beautiful, you were so brave," one wrote. "Billy was an amazing human being." Another added: "My heart breaks for you. Take your time to grieve. Sending you thoughts and prayers." A third wrote: "Such a beautiful picture to put up… laying in peace. So so very sorry for your loss. Be strong and brave xx."

STORY: Zoe Ball thanks fans for their support following death of boyfriend

zoe ball3© Photo: Getty Images

Zoe, 46, was is to be devastated by Billy's untimely death

News of Billy's death broke on 5 May, and a short while late Zoe broke her silence to pay a simple but beautiful tribute to her boyfriend. The heartbroken star took to Instagram to share a close-up photograph of a flower, writing alongside: "My sweet love X." A friend told the Sun that the 40-year-old star was overwhelmed with grief. "She is completely and utterly devastated," the insider said. "Billy had made her happy again after the most horrendous year when her marriage broke down. This was completely out of the blue. She had no feeling that this was coming and is in total shock.

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"As far as we know this occurred at his house in London and it was friends who raised the alarm. She's going to need a lot of time to grieve. This just feels so unfair because Zoe had finally found happiness with Billy and had so many exciting plans for their future. It's devastating. There's nothing else other than devastation today."