Davina McCall 'prepared for death' after life-changing diagnosis
Davina McCall said she "set her whole life up" before she was admitted to hospital to undergo a six-hour operation to remove a cyst on her brain.
Davina McCall begged her neurosurgeon to “keep her alive” before she underwent an intricate six-hour surgery to remove a cyst on her brain. The TV presenter, 57, was diagnosed with a 14mm colloid cyst – otherwise known as a benign brain tumour – following a routine health check-up last year. She said that the tumour was rare and needed to be removed quickly as it could be fatal.
She underwent the operation in November 2024 and spent time in intensive care before recovering at home. Prior to this, the My Mum, Your Dad presenter ensured she was prepared for the worst by organising her will and writing letters for her three children: Holly, 22, Tilly, 21, and Chester, 18, whom she shares with her ex-husband Matthew Robertson.
Opening up about her actions, Davina told The Times: “I set up my whole life before I went into the operating theatre knowing that, if I didn’t make it, the kids would be OK.
“I needed to go under the anaesthetic knowing I had my ducks in a row. I am so grateful for that process because I realised through all of that if I were not around, my children would be on the right path.”
In the aftermath of her operation, Davina shared that her short-term memory was severely affected in the first two months. But eventually, she felt well enough to return to her presenting duties, adding: “Everything's beginning to work again. I'm beginning to process it a lot more, it's a lot to unpack."
She also said that writing everything down, as well as getting plenty of sleep, was helping her to remember things.
Earlier this week, the former Big Brother presenter shared that she is beginning to get her fitness back on track and is enjoying running again.
She told the Telegraph: “Since my operation, I've been doing Couch to 5k to get my fitness back.
"What I love about it is that you get to a point where you can run 5k really quickly, whereas I think left to our own devices, we wouldn't be so fast. Come rain or shine, I'll do this outdoors, near where I live. Roads, countryside, I'll run anywhere.”
Davina will be on screens tonight (March 21) as one of the presenters of Comic Relief: Funny For Money. It airs on BBC One from 7pm.
