Davina McCall, the former Big Brother host and one of the UK’s best-known television presenters, has revealed that she is in hospital undergoing an operation to remove a benign brain tumor.
In an Instagram video, McCall, who co-presents ITV’s BAFTA-winning series Long Lost Family, said a “very rare” colloid cyst was discovered in her brain after she underwent a health scan earlier this year.
“It needs to come out because if it grows, it would be bad,” she revealed, adding that she would have a craniotomy operation. McCall said she would be in hospital for nine days and would be off social media for some time.
“A few months ago, I did a menopause talk for a company and they offered me a health scan in return, which I thought I was going to ace,” she said.
“But it turned out I had a benign brain tumor called a colloid cyst, which is very rare – three in a million. And so I slightly put my head in the sand for a while, and then I saw quite a few neurosurgeons. I got lots of opinions, and I realized that I have to get it taken out.
“It’s big for the space. It fills the space. It’s 14mm wide, and it needs to come out because if it grows, it would be bad. So I’m having it removed via a craniotomy.”
Later in the video, posted alongside her partner Michael Douglas, she said: “I’ll see you on the other side.”
In a comment accompanying the video, Douglas wrote: “She is in great shape and in very good hands. I’ll I do the odd update from her account here for anyone interested.
“I’m sure she’ll read all the comments when she’s able to so feel free to send love. The support of people is amazingly powerful. Have a great day everyone.”
McCall, who also hosts ITV’s My Mum, Your Dad, received a special recognition award at the National Television Awards earlier this year. The prize was presented by Hannah Waddingham.
