Davina McCall appeared on The One Show on Monday night, just four months after undergoing surgery to remove a benign brain tumour
Davina McCall on her first tv appearance after brain surgery
Davina McCall made her first live show appearance on Monday night after undergoing brain surgery.
Just four months ago, the TV presenter underwent surgery to remove a benign brain tumour, known as a colloid cyst. In November 2024, Davina revealed she had a 14mm tumour and had surgery to have it removed.
On Monday night, Davina, 57, appeared on The One Show, revealing it was her first live television appearance since her surgery, as she talked about the upcoming Red Nose Day.
Welcoming the presenter to the studio, host Alex Jones said: “We are so pleased to see you, we haven’t seen you since you had your operation to remove a benign tumour. We were just saying how worried we all were.”
Alex, 47, then read out some messages from viewers, where she said: “Ems has been in touch, she asks: ‘How does it feel to be back at work after your operation?’.”
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Davina McCall made her first live show appearance on Monday night after undergoing brain surgery(Image: BBC)
To which Davina replied in a three-word response: “It feels amazing!”, adding: “I am so happy to be back it was like the final piece of the jigsaw! I was recovering at home in my bedroom a lot, going for a couple of walks a day.
“But I was kind of stuck in my bedroom, it became my safe space. I kind of didn’t want to leave. I got a bit nervous about going back to work and I kept thinking in my head: ‘Well I could just make a bit of an excuse.’
“And Michael said to me: ‘I know you, I know how much you loved work and how much it means to you. I know you’re scared but this is the final piece of the jigsaw and I think it’s going to make a big difference when you go back.’
“I was so angry with him, and then when I went back, at the end of the day I sat in the car and I was like: ‘Yes!’ It felt so good! to see everybody and to be back to normal! It felt like something normal I could do that I love!”
Davina then pointed out another milestone as she declared: “First live show today!” to which Alex and co-host Vernon Kay applauded her.
Davina then pointed out another milestone as she declared: “First live show today!” to which Alex and co-host Vernon Kay applauded her
The TV star previously recalled how she felt “angry” the tumour had “taken control” of her.
Speaking to friend Stephen Bartlett about the tumour on her podcast Begin Again, she recalled: “I felt like this thing had taken control of me and I was so angry about that.
“I couldn’t let it go, I was like, ‘How dare you control my daily life like this and make me feel every day like I’m in danger?’ … I have a newfound enormous sympathy for people who have benign brain tumours.
“I have had so many people say to me: ‘Well, at least it was benign.’ And you think: ‘You have no idea that benign brain tumours can still kill you.’
“It’s just, you don’t know when it’s going to happen. It could happen tomorrow, it could happen in years’ time. It’s different to cancer, but it is also awful. A benign does not mean fine.”
