Davina McCall burst into tears during a candid podcast conversation with her best friend Sarah Hiscox, who admitted she had been 'frightened' as the TV star descended into heroin addiction in the late 1980s.
Friend Recalls Dark Days
On the podcast 'Begin Again with Davina McCall', Sarah Hiscox described how she watched her friend struggle with substance abuse. 'You were taking heroin, you know, and that to me, well, to most people with any sense, is incredibly dangerous,' she said. 'And I thought I was going to lose you.'
Hiscox explained that McCall's drug use went beyond recreational ecstasy use common at illegal raves during the 'summer of love'. 'It wasn't just like a couple of e. You were taking heroin... it was something much darker that had taken you over.'
Sliding Out of View
McCall, who has been open about her past heroin addiction, recalled a pivotal moment when Hiscox picked her up for a Santana concert. In the car, Hiscox expressed her worry. 'You were crumbling quite quickly,' Hiscox said. 'I was frightened for you.'
McCall admitted she initially felt angry but cried 'all the way to the front door'. She said she was 'so full of shame' learning that people were talking about her behind her back. 'I didn't want to let you know how broken I was, but I knew I was f****d and that was the end,' McCall said.
Turning Point
Hiscox noted that some people took 'glee' in McCall's downfall. 'You can really tell how healthy you are by how you feel about your friend's success,' she said. But for Hiscox, the priority was getting her friend back. 'I wanted you to stop. I wanted you back because heroin puts a wall between you both, and I could feel that wall.'
That conversation proved to be a 'huge turning point' for McCall, who said she 'didn't use again' after that day. An emotional Davina embraced her friend and told her she was 'grateful' for her intervention.
