Davina McCall has revealed she has been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease after years of struggling with high cholesterol. The disclosure came during a new episode of her Begin Again podcast, recorded in partnership with the British Heart Foundation for World Menopause Day.
Podcast episode focuses on menopause and heart health
McCall invited heart attack survivor Louise McGill onto the show to discuss her experiences, and admitted that she too has received a cardiovascular disease diagnosis, while acknowledging she dismissed her early warning signs.
She said on the podcast: “When we think about heart attacks, I’m always thinking 60-plus.”
McCall added: “I had high cholesterol and I’d had it for quite a long time, and it was deemed that because I had high good cholesterol, that offset the bad.”
Guest's heart attack followed routine check
For guest Louise, the situation was similar. She had her heart attack 10 weeks after a routine health check found her cholesterol was slightly high, but she was rated low-risk. It was just a month after she finished a 5k run.
Louise experienced a “tightening and heaviness” in her chest, and when she was informed she was having a heart attack, she admitted: “I did think, this is it. My time is up… My girls were just nine at the time, and I don’t know how I did it, but I managed to get back upstairs and kiss them goodbye.”
Her main artery was 95-98% blocked. Louise said: “I would go to sleep sitting up because in my head, if I lie down, I might not wake up again… I could say I cried solidly for about three months.”
But nine years later, Louise is doing better.
McCall urges listeners to take symptoms seriously
McCall said on the show: “Heart attacks and cardiovascular disease is rife, especially in women post-menopause, and we don’t know that…If there’s one takeaway today, it’s not to brush things off. Get your blood pressure and cholesterol checked, and if something feels wrong, listen to your body.”
McCall first opened up about her cholesterol struggle in 2021, explaining: “When they said I had high cholesterol, I just looked at my GP and asked if it was a mistake!”
She added: “I considered myself to be healthy and it never crossed my mind I would be at risk of something like this. I always associated high cholesterol with something you get when you’re old – definitely not something you develop in your 20s!”
McCall’s grandmother had a heart attack, and she uncovered a family history of high cholesterol. In 2024, McCall underwent brain surgery to remove a benign tumour, which left her with symptoms of “advanced Alzheimer’s”.
