Davina McCall was moved to tears as she opened up about a troubled period in her life alongside her closest friend, who confessed she had been "frightened" for her. The former Big Brother host, who struggled with heroin addiction in her 20s, made the revelations while discussing addiction and drug use with her close friend, Sarah Hiscox, on a recent podcast episode.
Davina's Dark Chapter: The 'Summer of Love' and Beyond
During the conversation, Davina reflected on the late 80s, describing it as the "summer of love", when ecstasy and illegal raves were "everywhere" — a period she characterised as the beginning of her "going really mad". Sarah revealed that Davina's drug use went beyond a "couple of e", as she spoke candidly about the toll her friend's heroin habit had taken and how she was "losing" herself and "kind of sliding out of view".
Friend's Fears: 'I Thought I Was Going to Lose You'
Speaking on Begin Again with Davina McCall, Sarah said: "So you got bad and I could tell that it wasn't just like a couple of e. You were taking heroin, you know, and that to me, well, to most people with any sense, is incredibly dangerous. And I thought I was going to lose you and it wasn't just being the centre of attention at a party or... It was something much darker that had taken you over, and I was aware of people talking about you behind your back. And I was aware that you were kind of sliding out of view. And you were losing yourself."
A Pivotal Car Ride: 'Crumbling Quite Quickly'
Sarah went on to recount a moment when she collected Davina to attend a Santana gig, and once she was in the car told her she was "really worried about" her. She remembered that Davina was "crumbling quite quickly" and thought she had been scared. Davina clarified that she'd been a "bit angry", but had wept "all the way" to the front door. Davina revealed that she didn't want to let her know how "broken" she was, but understood she was "f****d" and that was the "end", noting that she was "so full of shame" upon discovering that people had been discussing her.
The Turning Point: A Moment of Gratitude
Nevertheless, it would turn out to be a "huge turning point" for the TV personality, who "didn't use again" after that pivotal exchange. An emotional Davina then embraced her friend and told her that she was "grateful". Sarah added: "You know, I remember hearing in a meeting once, you can really tell how healthy you are by how you feel about your friend's success. And that's so true, you know, and so there was a glee in some people that, 'Oh dear, she's lost it', you know, but I was frightened for you. I wanted you to stop. I wanted you back because also I could feel — and you know what it's like with heroin — it puts a... it puts a wall between you both, and I could feel that wall."
