The former Big Brother presenter has shared intimate hospital photographs and a deeply personal message about her recovery from a rare brain tumour, following further health challenges involving breast cancer and cardiovascular disease.
Davina McCall has marked two years since undergoing brain tumour surgery with an emotional apology to her husband and children – revealing how the operation began the toughest period of their lives.
The 59-year-old television presenter, best known for hosting Big Brother, Long Lost Family and The Masked Singer, shared photographs from her hospital stay in November 2024, including an image of her brain scan.
The operation followed the discovery of a rare colloid cyst during a routine health assessment, and her anniversary message comes after further health concerns, including breast cancer treatment and a recent disclosure that she has cardiovascular disease.
Writing on Instagram alongside a photograph showing her lying in a hospital bed with her head bandaged, Davina said: “Two years ago today, Michael and I started the toughest 18 months of our lives.
“I’d like to celebrate feeling amazing today.
“I would also like to say sorry, for all the worry I put Michael and our kids thru, It was a lot. For everyone.
“And there I was just there being a worried little Dory in the middle of it.
“But here we are! On top form. Living life to the Max!”
The presenter underwent surgery after doctors discovered the benign tumour, which can cause serious complications because of its position in the brain.
The cyst was identified during a health check, despite Davina having previously experienced no obvious symptoms.
She subsequently underwent an operation to remove it, with her husband, celebrity hairstylist Michael Douglas, 52, supporting her throughout her recovery.
The couple married in December 2025, having been in a relationship for several years.
Davina also thanked the medical professionals involved in her treatment, including the surgeon recommended to her by model Caprice Bourret, 55.
She wrote: “We owe you everything KEVIN @brain.surgeon.uk you are the best!! @capricebourret was right!!
“And thank you, Caprice thank you, Rupi and @welbeckhealth for finding it and to everyone at @clevelandcliniclondon who took such great care of me.”
Davina also reflected on the physical demands of her recovery and paid tribute to Michael for helping her through the months following the operation.
She wrote: “I’d like to thank my body and my brain, we’ve been through a lot and you’ve really worked hard to recover.
“Well done us but mostly thank you Michael I really couldn’t have got through this without you. You are a superhero. My superhero.
“And a note to everyone going through something massive. I’m sending you a big hug x”
Davina shares three children – Holly, 25, Tilly, 23, and Chester, 20 – with her former husband Matthew Robertson, 57.
Her latest Instagram post follows a series of public discussions about her health, including her experience of breast cancer and her efforts to encourage women to undergo regular medical checks.
In 2025, Davina revealed she had undergone surgery to remove a small lump from her breast after being diagnosed with breast cancer.
She subsequently received the all-clear and has continued to discuss the importance of early detection.
More recently, the former Big Brother presenter revealed she had also been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease, a term covering conditions affecting the heart and blood vessels.
Speaking on her Begin Again podcast as part of a discussion connected to World Menopause Day and the British Heart Foundation, Davina explained why she wanted to share the diagnosis publicly.
She said: “I wanted to let you know, I also have cardiovascular disease, and this is a very important conversation to have.
“Anyone can get sick and when I had my cancer experience, you just suddenly feel vulnerable in a way you weren’t before…
“Once you’ve been ill, you think ‘Oh, I thought I was invincible’.”
The presenter did not provide further details about the nature of her cardiovascular condition or the treatment she was receiving.
Davina, who has frequently spoken about women’s health and menopause, used the discussion to highlight the importance of monitoring blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Her work in this area has included presenting the Channel 4 documentaries Sex, Myths and the Menopause and Sex, Mind and the Menopause, which examined the physical and psychological effects of menopause and the experiences of women seeking treatment.
She has also continued her television career with ITV’s Long Lost Family, which reunites relatives who have spent years apart, and The Masked Singer, where she appears as a panellist.
Addressing cardiovascular health, Davina said: “Heart attacks and cardiovascular disease are rife out there, particularly in women post-menopause.
“If there’s one takeaway today it’s not to brush things off – get your blood pressure and cholesterol checked, and if something feels wrong, listen to your body.”
Davina McCall makes heartbreaking apology to husband and children as she marks two years since life-saving brain surgery
