Davina McCall has opened up about her addiction struggles, career challenges, and the brain tumour that nearly killed her. The 57-year-old TV presenter, known for her high-energy persona, revealed that a routine health screening led to the discovery of a benign colloid cyst in her brain, which, if left untreated, could have been fatal.
McCall described how the tumour was found after she had a coil fitted on television for a documentary. A friend, Dame Lesley Regan, suggested she have a health screening at a women's health clinic in exchange for a talk on menopause. Initially, McCall thought the idea was pointless, saying she was 'the healthiest woman you’ve ever met'. However, scans revealed a 14mm cyst, which she nicknamed 'Jeffrey'.
Despite the diagnosis, McCall was reluctant to have surgery, initially believing that because the tumour was benign, she could ignore it. After consulting with a surgeon in the US, she was persuaded to undergo an operation. Reflecting on the experience, she said: 'I wasn’t terrified of dying, but I didn’t want to leave my kids.'
McCall, who has previously spoken about her past struggles with alcohol and heroin, said her current addiction is health and fitness. She also discussed the challenges of balancing her public persona with her private life, noting that she has never posted pictures of her son online because 'he didn’t choose to be famous; I did'.
