Television personality Davina McCall has shared the raw anger she felt upon receiving a breast cancer diagnosis, a devastating blow that came just one year after she underwent major surgery for a benign brain tumour.
A Year of Health Struggles
The 58-year-old star revealed in a candid social media video on Saturday that she was diagnosed with breast cancer just a few weeks ago. She has since had a lumpectomy to remove the lump. This news follows what she described as the ‘hardest’ time in her life – her brain tumour diagnosis and subsequent craniotomy surgery in the previous year.
Speaking at a Dine With Davina charity event, as reported by the Daily Mail, McCall did not hold back in describing her initial reaction. ‘I got really f*****g angry,’ she recalled. ‘And you know me, I’m a pacifist – I don’t really get angry – I’m like Tigger. I’m just always happy. I was like: ‘Are you f******g joking? What the f**k! Are you serious?’’
The Turning Point and a Message of Hope
McCall credited her partner, celebrity hairdresser Michael Douglas, for helping her process the overwhelming emotions. She admitted to trying to suppress her feelings until he confronted her. ‘He said: “Stop. I can see what you’re doing. You’re not going there.” He said: “Let’s talk about it.” I said: “I’m fine.” He said: “You’re not fine.” I was like: “No, no, I’m fine. Honestly. I’m not f*****g fine, that’s why I’m f*****g mad.”’
She described the cathartic release of finally letting her anger out. ‘He just sat and he came and watched me and I was f*****g stamping my feet. And it felt so good.’ McCall now says she feels ‘a lot more positive’ and is looking forward to putting 2025 behind her.
Her diagnosis came after she heeded a public health poster she saw while working on The Masked Singer. Signs on the doors of Lorraine Kelly’s TV show prompted her to check her breasts regularly. After finding a small lump that came and went, she finally sought medical attention after seeing it in the mirror one morning.
Doctors were reportedly amazed at how early the cancer was caught. Following her lumpectomy nearly three weeks ago, she was relieved to learn that the margins were very small, the cancer had not spread, and her lymph nodes were clear. She is scheduled for five days of radiotherapy in January as a precaution.
A Lifesaving Reminder for All
McCall’s primary reason for speaking out is to encourage others to be vigilant. In her video, she urged: ‘I think my message is, get checked if you’re worried. Check yourself regularly. If you are due a mammogram, then get it done.’
She also expressed immense gratitude to the staff at the Royal Marsden Hospital, as well as her family, children, and partner Michael for their support. This health scare has prompted a lifestyle change for the normally high-energy presenter, who now aims to stop, breathe, and be more present.
Following her brain surgery in November of the previous year, McCall was given the all-clear in April 2025. She had emotionally shared her experience during Comic Relief, calling it a period that made her deeply reconsider what truly matters in life.
