SO SAD :Davina McCall admits she ‘cries at home’ in heartbreaking job confession
The presenter opened up about the emotional toll of the show.
Davina McCall opened up about the emotional toll of her job (Image: Diary Of A CEO Podcast)
Davina McCall admitted her work can become so emotional that she cries behind closed doors. The 58-year-old has fronted some of the UK’s most popular shows over the years, and started presenting ITV’s Long Lost Family in 2011 alongside Nicky Campbell. The emotional programme follows the presenters as they aim to reunite biological families who have been split up over the years, sometimes for decades.
The show often leaves viewers in tears, but Davina is usually able to hold herself together. Opening up about the emotional toll the programme takes, the mum-of-three admitted she saves her tears for home as she wants to ensure the families have their moment. “I learn about the family histories beforehand so I do my crying at home. It’s their moment, and it’s just an honour to be there,” she told TV Times.
Davina has presented Long Lost Family with Nicky Campbell (Image: ITV)
Nicky, 65, added: “As somebody who had an amazing adoptive family, every story affects me, which is why I love doing it, but also why it can be a challenge.
“It does take its toll. And I chat to the people off-camera about both our lives and get a lot from it.”
Long Lost Family recently returned to screens with its 16th series, exploring the story of Avril from Newcastle as she sought help tracking down the baby girl she gave up for adoption more than six decades ago.
Avril was just 15 when she fell pregnant after a brief relationship with a boy she had met at a dance.
With few options available to her at the time, Avril’s mum sent her to a mother and baby home in Carlisle, where she could be kept out of sight while she prepared to give birth.
Davina helped Avril reunite with her daughter (Image: ITV)
While at the home, Avril gave birth to a baby girl, whom she named Michelle.
When Davina visited Avril, she showed her a photograph of the baby she had kept beside her bed for decades, explaining that she had always held her daughter close to her heart and never given up hope that they might one day be reunited.
An emotional Avril reflected: “My little girl, my little lass, I’ve shed some tears about her over the years – absolutely gorgeous. I had her until she was 8 weeks old so I haven’t seen her for nearly 62 years and I do love her still.
“I spent as much time with her as I could. I loved this child, it was my child. But we couldn’t afford to keep her.”
Avril’s seemingly impossible search eventually led to an emotional reunion, with Davina’s co-host Nicky Campbell tracking down Avril’s daughter, who had since been renamed Eleanor.
