TV presenter Davina McCall underwent surgery in November 2024 to remove a benign brain tumor, a colloid cyst, which was discovered during a health scan related to her menopause advocacy work

Davina McCall broke down in tears as she discussed her brain tumour during Comic Relief’s broadcast tonight. Addressing her life-changing health woes, Davina, 57, said: “I had a pretty mad this year. Doctors found a benign brain tumour by chance and after a lot of deliberate i had it removed. It has quite possibly been the hardest thing I’ve ever been through.

“This whole experience, kind of weighing up all the risks and all the positive things about having this tumour removed made me really think deeply about what life is all about, and what really, really matters when things get tough.

McCall then began to cry as she spoke of the support she had received from her family and partner Michael Douglas. “I needed the brilliance and the skills of lots of experts to make me okay. And oh my goodness, I’ve needed the love and support of friends and my family, and in particular, my Michael to get me through.

“And tonight has really made me think that there are so many people who are scared, they’re in trouble, they’re in danger…. so many. And they don’t have the friends or the family or the money or the support that I did. I know that I was so lucky, but not everybody is.”

Davina broke down in tears while discussing her brain tumour trauma

Davina took a break from her work commitments in autumn 2024 to undergo brain surgery for a colloid cyst, and has since been recovering at home. Her podcast, Begin Again, launched in September 2024 with Davina pre-recording a catalogue of episodes to publish weekly and continue throughout her recovery.

Following her surgery in November, she recently gave an update on her health and shared how she and her partner Michael Douglas weathered the storm of such a scary situation.

Davina emphasised how much had changed in her outlook, gushing to Hello: “You have a new look on life, gratitude, love for people, love for nature, love for architecture – everything looks beautiful. It’s different in that way, but not in personality or anything.”

The Channel 4 star added that for her the crisis seemed like it was a click of the fingers, while for Michael it was a long struggle. She added of their very different experiences that “obviously the first two months I had no short-term memory.”

Davina underwent surgery in 2024 to have a tumour removed from her brain ( 
Image:
Instagram/ @davinamccall)
She appeared on The One Show on Monday night to chat about Red Nose Day in her first live interview since the surgery. Davina said it was “amazing” to be back. “I am so happy to be back it was like the final piece of the jigsaw! I was recovering at home in my bedroom a lot, going for a couple of walks a day.

“But I was kind of stuck in my bedroom, it became my safe space. I kind of didn’t want to leave. I got a bit nervous about going back to work and I kept thinking in my head: ‘Well I could just make a bit of an excuse.’

“And Michael said to me: ‘I know you, I know how much you loved work and how much it means to you. I know you’re scared but this is the final piece of the jigsaw and I think it’s going to make a big difference when you go back.’”

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