Davina McCall was emotional as she opened up about her brain tumour diagnosis and the impact it had on her life and relationships

Davina Mccall at the National Television Awards 2025 (Image: Getty)

Davina McCall has confessed she ‘didn’t think she’d be here’ as she candidly discussed her challenging year. The much-loved TV host, 57, underwent surgery last year to remove a benign brain tumour – an experience that has prompted her to contemplate what the future holds.  In April, the former Big Brother host confirmed that her “final MRI” had shown that the colloid cyst, which was removed in November 2024, is “not coming back”. The cyst was discovered during a health check-up offered as part of her advocacy work for menopause.

Just weeks before her operation, an emotional Davina accepted the Special Recognition Award at the 2024 National Television Awards, tearfully telling the audience: “This means so much I can’t even begin to tell you.” Now, healthier than ever, Davina returned to the event and shared the poignant backstory behind her tears from the previous year in the winners’ room.

Davina donned a striking gold dress for the award show (Image: Getty)

Reflecting on her journey, she revealed to The Mirror: “Last year, I knew I had a brain tumour and I knew I was being operated on six weeks later and I picked up the award, which meant so much to me.”

The star was visibly moved as she continued: “Everybody else knew why it meant so much to me. It just meant the world to me because I wasn’t sure where I was going to be six weeks later. You know, what my life would look like.”

Last month, the star of The Masked Singer opened up about how her brain tumour impacted her life and personal relationships.

In a candid interview with Good Housekeeping UK, Davina revealed her long-standing fears: “I’ve been terrified of dying my whole life – my mum died quite young, my dad died quite young, and my sister died very young.

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“I thought: ‘I have to come to terms with the fact that I might not make it, so what do I have to do to make that OK?’ I had to let go of the outcome and be able to go to sleep without the abject horror of the idea of dying.

“I said to Michael (Douglas, her partner): ‘If I go, I really need you to keep plugged in to the kids (Holly, Tilly and Chester, who she shares with her ex-husband Matthew Robertson) and stay in their lives.'”.

“We were both scared, but we were honest and told each other that. It made the whole thing less daunting, knowing that everything was out on the table.”

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