Davina McCall has revealed she’s undergoing brain surgery today to remove a benign tumour.
The TV presenter, 57, shared the news in an Instagram post, saying she has a ‘very rare’ colloid cyst that affects only three in a million people.
She explained that she received the diagnosis by chance after booking in for a ‘health scan’.
Davina said in a video: ‘I was offered a health scan which I thought I was going to ace but it turned out I had benign brain tumour which is very rare, three in a million.
‘I slightly put my head in the sand for a while, I saw a few neurosurgeons, had quite a lot of opinions and realised I needed to take it out.
‘It’s quite big, it’s 14mm wide and it needs to come out because if it grows it would be bad. I’m having it removed.’
She added: ‘Say a prayer for me. I’m in good spirits.’
Davina McCall has revealed she’s undergoing brain surgery to remove a benign tumour today, sharing the news with her 1.8 million Instagram followers
Davina explained that while she was at no immediate risk, doctors were concerned that the tumour could grow larger and cause complications.
She revealed she had been feeling ‘up and down’ and explained she would be in hospital for at least nine days before coming home.
While she has known of the diagnosis for a few months, Davina hasn’t allowed it to slow her down and she was pictured last week enjoying a night out at Garnier’s celebration hair mask party.
A colloid cyst is a slow-growing tumour typically found near the center of the brain. The benign growth contains gelatinous material.
Most patients present with headaches, although other symptoms including vertigo, memory problems and double vision can occur.
If large enough, a colloid cyst obstructs the movement of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the brain which leads to a high risk of sudden death.
Davina’s partner Michael Douglas uploaded the video for her, captioning the post: ‘Hey everyone. Michael here. She will be “off grid” for a bit while she recovers from this brain operation.
‘She is in great shape and in very good hands. I’ll 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. Michael xxx’.
Davina has been dating celebrity hairdresser Michael, 49, for five years and though the pair are blissfully happy, they have no plans to walk down the aisle together.
Davina said in a video – which featured a cameo from boyfriend Michael Douglas: ‘I was offered a health scan which I thought I was going to ace but it turned out I had benign brain tumour’
While she has known of the diagnosis for a few months, Davina hasn’t allowed it to slow her down and she was pictured last week enjoying a night out at a Garnier party
Davina is passionate about health and fitness and is in the shape of her life after devoting herself to ritualistic daily workouts
With the pair having both been married before, Davina explained that they didn’t need to ‘rock the boat’ by tying the knot, insisting that for now, marriage is ‘off the table’.
Speaking to The Sun, she responded ‘no’ both times when asked if she was engaged to Michael or planned to marry down the line.
Giving her reasons for her refusal, she went on: ‘That’s not even on the table, it’s just not. He’s been [married before] so we both just feel like we are happy, let’s not rock the boat. Let’s just keep things on the down-low.
‘We’re not interested. I knew Michael for so many years [before we got together] that there were no questions to ask like that. I know him. It was easy.’
Shutting down any further questions about her love life, Davina concluded by saying: ‘I love Michael. And I always feel like it’s too precious to just talk about in public. I just want to keep it for me.’
Davina and Michael were old friends and first met when he styled her hair during her Big Brother presenting days.
Davina split from her ex-husband Matthew Robertson in 2017 after 17 years of marriage. She was also briefly wed to Andrew Leggett in 1997.
She shares three children with Matthew: Holly, 22, Tilly 20, and 17-year-old son Chester.
While Davina is famed for presenting shows such as Big Brother, My Mum Your Dad and The Biggest Loser, in recent years she has been campaigning for more awareness and treatment for the menopause.
Speaking about her experience, Davina shared: ‘It’s so lonely [going through menopause], I thought I was disappearing and my world was getting smaller and smaller. I felt very lonely and isolated,’ she said.
‘It’s only when you come out of the grey, you think, I haven’t belly laughed for months… It can be a fantastic time in your life, of freedom. It’s just the next stage.’
Davina explored menopause in a documentary entitled Sex, Mind and the Menopause – the follow-up to her 2021 programme Sex, Myths and the Menopause.
The show further explored more of the burning issues raised in her first documentary – including menopause myths and the taboo around HRT.
It also took a deeper look at whether women are being sidelined, sacked or forced to go part-time when hit by menopause symptoms at work.
Davina is also passionate about health and fitness and is in the shape of her life after devoting herself to ritualistic daily workouts.
Speaking to The Mirror, the presenter revealed she sets her alarm for 6:15am each day and immediately pulls on her Lycra workout gear, because it motivates her to exercise, even when she doesn’t want to.
Davina’s partner Michael uploaded the video for her explaining: ‘Davina will be “off grid” for a bit while she recovers from this brain operation’
‘I just put on a workout outfit because it means that I’m always ready,’ she said. ‘If I start my day in civvies I am not going to work out, it’s never going to happen.’
After hopping out of bed at the crack of dawn Davina hits the shower, before applying a variety of gels and patches – prescribed by her doctor to treat issues such as ‘brain fog and libido.’
Then comes breakfast, but bacon, eggs and a piping hot cup of coffee are most definitely not on the menu for the health conscious star.
‘I have the powdered bovine collagen,’ she admitted. ‘I’d probably have granola and milk for breakfast, but sometimes, if I’m naughty, I’ll do a crumpet.’
Davina is also teetotal, having previously struggled with addiction.
She began taking drugs when she was a teenager and, by her 20s was an addict, previously describing heroin as her ‘drug of choice’.
The Million Pound Drop host, who chooses not to drink in case it leads to drug use, also had a turbulent relationship with her mother, Florence Kock, who as well struggled with addiction.
Having tried heroin for the first time aged 15, Davina reflected on the sense of false comfort the substance gave her, revealing that using was ‘like coming home.’
‘When you are on it nothing else matters so you don’t care about meeting someone on time or picking up your kids from school, luckily I didn’t have any,’ she said in a podcast.
After pushing her loved ones away and losing everything to prioritise her drug use, she said: ‘Heroin became my best friend. It’s like the biggest, warmest, softest cuddle.’
Davina has been dating celebrity hairdresser Michael, 49, for five years and though the pair are blissfully happy, they have no plans to walk down the aisle together (pictured in 2023)
After 10 years of substance abuse, Davina got help following an intervention from a friend and began attending ongoing NA meetings and therapy sessions, later achieving sobriety.
Davina described her life as ‘a crazy adventure,’ adding, ‘I don’t think I’d be as grateful as I am if I hadn’t had a tough time.’
She previously explained that as a teetotal recovering addict, she doesn’t even like to take over-the-counter tablets for headaches, so she avoided going down the medical route.
Davina told how she took up exercise and took herbal remedies to help but these didn’t ‘cut it’, telling how she planned to ‘battle through’ before finally getting educated about the menopause, with a private gynaecologist eventually prescribing HRT for her.
For confidential help and support with drink and drug problems talk to FRANK on 0300 123 6600
