Davina McCall has revealed that her brain tumour surgery was ‘the most testing time’ for her partner Michael Douglas.

The presenter, 57, underwent surgery last year after a doctors discovered a colloid cyst in her brain, and in her first interview since the operation, she’s reflected on how her recovery has brought them much closer together.

Speaking to pal Steven Bartlett on her Begin Again podcast, Davina admitted that she and Michael were ‘really really really close’ ahead of her operation, but believes the toughest time for him came while she was intensive care for several days.

She said: ‘What’s been interesting, is that I think it has been the most testing time for him ever, to see me who is ”Mrs in Control of everything.” 

‘I mean beforehand, the fear and everything bought us really really really close together but I think the first month for him in hospital was so painful and difficult and hard, and that Whatsapp group was his therapy, his saving grace, I don’t know what he would have done without it. 

‘But this is the amazing thing about him as a man, he is everything. He is strong, he’s soft, he’s funny, he’s serious, he’s really smart and super silly.

Davina McCall has revealed that her brain tumour surgery was ‘the most testing time’ for her partner Michael Douglas 

The presenter said that she and Michael were ‘really really really close’ ahead of her operation, but believes the hardet time for him came while she was intensive care for several days

‘I think I was in intensive care for two/three days in the end.. I htink for him I think for Michael those few days at the beginning, even after three or four days we had a breaktrough.’

During the interview, Davina added that the surgery completely changed her relationship with her stepmother Gabby, admitting she’s ‘fallen in love with her in a major way for the first time.’

She revealed that her father, who died in 2022, first married her stepmother Gabby when she was six years old, and after living with her grandmother for many years, she moved in with them when she was 13.

The star has previously shared insight into her fraught relationship with her birth mother Florence, who she described as an ‘alcoholic.’ She died in 2008.

Davina told Steven that for years she suffered guilt at moving in with her father and stepmother, wrongfully believing that they didn’t want her there, but after her surgery the pair finally talked things through and are now closer than ever.

She said: ‘Michael helped me put a new pair of glᴀsses on and look at my stepmum in a different way and I’ve literally fallen in love with her in such a major way for the first time.

‘So she said to me – this is a good example – she said to me ”what kind of pyjamas are you taking to the hopsital?” and I was like ”what kind of pyjamas do you think?” and she went ”oh my God, are they really Sєxy?” and I would have read that five years ago as an insult ”oh you think I’m too Sєxy”, now I was like ‘yes!” and we laughed and we laughed about it.

‘I took off ”you wish I’d never come to live with you” and I put on ”I think you always wanted me to live with you” it’s amazing, they’re much nicer glᴀsses.

During the interview, Davina added that the surgery completely changed her relationship with her stepmother Gabby (pictured with her father Andrew)

The star underwent life-saving surgery in November 2024 after a rare colloid cyst was discovered in her brain, and though benign, it carried the risk of sudden death

      WHAT IS A COLLOID CYST? 

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.

This results in a build up of CSF in the ventricles of the brain and raises pressure in the skull.

Surgery may be required promptly in order to reduce the relatively high risk of sudden death.

Source: UCLA Department of Neurosurgery 

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‘We’ve talked about it non-stop it’s unbelievable, she looked after me for two weeks, we walked arm in arm, we talk we laugh we’ve been so honest to each other. 

‘My mum and I have gone deep, since this operation we’ve had the most amazing time ever. We were both aware that we were like two cogs that were just slightly out of kilter, as we were just getting stuck sometimes. 

‘I’d noticed she was reaching out to me a bit [before] because I think she’s 75 and like me, she’s looked death in the face and through ”I want to heal everything”.

‘I am so annoyed about this, if everybody’s watching, or if you’ve got anybody in your family, please talk to your family because doing anybody else’s thinking is none of you business.

‘I think that we both felt that our feelings about how the other person was feeling were correct and both of our feelings about each other were making us feel like it was correct.’

Davina revealed that she wrote individual letters to all of her children – Holly, 23, Tilly, 21, and Chester, 18 – in case she didn’t survive.

Read More The woman by Davina’s side: How star’s stepmum has been her rock since she moved in with her at 13

‘What I wanted to do was to try and find a way that they would all find a way through if I didn’t make it. They make me very proud’, she said.

Steven also spoke of a WhatsApp group he was added to by Davina, full of her friends and family, to talk about what was going on. ‘If something bad happened, who do I not want to hear it from a paper?’ Davina said of who made the cut. 

‘It’s funny because I was put in a WhatsApp group with your friends and family, etc,’ Steven said. ‘My first observation was how big that WhatsApp group is. I was like, “Jesus Christ, she’s got some friends!”‘ 

Davina replied: ‘Do you know what I was thinking when I made the WhatsApp group, is who do I… if… if something bad happened, who do I not want to hear it from a paper? 

‘So, I was kind of thinking, in a way, I want them to hear good things. Who… who do I want to hear the news first before anybody else gets it? And that was my list of people. 

‘And it was, you know, people like you, who I work with, who I really care about. And then there were obviously my family members. And it was quite nice putting that list together because I thought, “I have so many people I really care about in my life.”‘

Davina has been open about her health scare and previously gave an emotional update in an Instagram video as she urged others to get private health checks if they can afford it

Davina has been open about her health scare and previously gave an emotional update in an Instagram video as she urged others to get private health checks if they can afford it.

The My Mum Your Dad presenter had her tumour picked up at a private clinic when  she was offered a health check after taking part in a talk about menopause.

Discussing her progress after the surgery, she explained: ‘I really feel a lot more myself now. I feel way better.

‘My sense of graтιтude is growing by the day, I’m crying a bit less which is good. I’m really looking forward to Christmas.

‘I want to talk about the place I did my health check. I didn’t sing about it from the roof tops is it costs more than most people could afford. It’s expensive – BUT it did save my life. But it is prohibitively expensive for most.

‘The NHS also offers loads of other checks too. So get them – get the health check. Preventative medicine is better than reactive medicine.

‘Eat well, do exercise, be less stressed. I just feel so grateful now. I’d like to say a mᴀssive thank you to all the staff at the clinics – I’m pretty sure you saved my life.’