Television icon Davina McCall has opened up about the profound impact a benign brain tumour had on her cognitive health, revealing it severely damaged her short-term memory in a way that affected her daily life and fitness routine.
The Tumour Diagnosis and Recovery Journey
In a candid conversation on her Begin Again podcast with fitness expert Joe Wicks, McCall detailed the ordeal that began in 2024. After a routine health check, the Big Brother legend was diagnosed with a colloid cyst, a type of benign brain tumour. She subsequently underwent major craniotomy surgery to have it removed.
By April 2025, following a series of MRI scans, McCall received the positive news that the tumour was "not coming back." However, her health challenges continued, as she separately underwent surgery for breast cancer in November of the same year, after discovering a small, early-stage lump.
How Memory Loss Impacted Her Fitness
Discussing the importance of exercise for wellbeing with Wicks, McCall explained how her brain tumour ordeal "really badly affected" her short-term memory. This cognitive impact created a bizarre disconnect with her efforts to return to physical activity post-surgery.
"The only reason I knew if I'd worked out was if I had DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness)," McCall disclosed. "So I'd wake up the next morning, and I'd be like, 'Oh, God, wow', and I'd think, 'Oh, I must have worked out yesterday', but I had no recollection of it."
She described the experience as "humbling," having to stop exercising for three to four months due to the tumour and again later because of her breast cancer treatment. McCall said this gave her a "really good lesson" in how difficult it is for people to "start again" from scratch with their fitness.
Finding Solace in Nature and Moving Forward
When Joe Wicks asked how she managed the memory issues, McCall revealed an unexpected coping mechanism. She said she often wouldn't be aware of how hard her recovery was because she simply couldn't remember not being active.
Instead, she found significant mental health benefits in walking and immersing herself in nature. "I didn't need to remember it; nature was simply 'there and beautiful'," she explained, noting that the combination of gentle movement and the outdoors aided her recovery immensely.
The Masked Singer panellist remains positive and proactive about her health. Regarding her breast cancer, she has expressed relief that the cancer was caught very early and removed, confirming it had not spread.
