Inside Davina McCall's health struggles: How TV presenter's battle with addiction fueled her fitness journey before undergoing brain surgery after tumour announcement

Davina McCall is currently undergoing brain surgery to remove a benign tumour, she revealed in an Instagram post on Friday.

The TV star, 57, admitted she has a 'very rare' olloid cyst that affects only three in a million people and explained that she received the diagnosis by chance after booking in for a 'health scan'.

Davina, who is an advocated for women's health and rights, turned to fitness following a battle with drug addiction.

She has been incredibly open about her battle with drugs over the years and at age 25 when she became teetotal, she turned to therapy for her healing.

Davina used substances such as heroin, speed and weed as a teen, before she sought help over 20 years ago. 

In December 2023, Davina spoke about how she hasn't had an alcoholic drink in more than 30 years and admitted she has been quite 'rigid' with herself in life.

She opened up about how she can be a very 'all or nothing' person as she spoke about her health in the February issue of Good Housekeeping.

As Davina battles another health woe, MailOnline takes a look at the presenter's health struggles.

Brain surgery

Speaking about her procedure to fans ahead of her shock surgery, Davina explained that while she was at no immediate risk, doctors were concerned that the tumour could grow larger and cause complications.

She said: '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.' 

She revealed she had been feeling 'up and down' and explained she would be in hospital for at least nine days before coming home. 

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. 

This results in a build up of CSF in the ventricles of the brain, leading to the condition hydrocephalus, which causes a range of disturbing symptoms including personality changes, visual disturbances and speech problems.

If the blockage becomes severe enough, it can result in a coma.

In other cases, it could even result in brain herniation — where the tissue in the skull moves and potentially blocks the flow of blood to the organ.

If the increased intracranial pressure is not treated, sudden death is possible.

Colloid cysts are typically treated via surgery — a craniotomy. This requires removal of part of the bone from the skull to expose the brain.

Where the opening is made on the skull depends on a number of factors, including tumor size.

Drug addiction

In December 2023, Davina spoke about how she hasn't had an alcoholic drink in more than 30 years and admitted she has been quite 'rigid' with herself in life. 

She shared that she gave up sugar completely when her sister Caroline died of lung cancer in August 2012, but has become more 'gentle' with herself in recent years. 

She told Good Housekeeping: 'I'm quite often all or nothing as a person. I haven't had a drink in 33 years. I've spent my life being quite rigid with myself. 

'When my sister died 10 years ago, I literally stopped eating sugar. But that was unsustainable and now, in midlife, I've become a little bit more gentle with myself. Now I eat fruit, and for breakfast I have granola with kefir.' 

In May, Davina revealed that her best friend Sarah Hiscox locked her in a car to call out her drug use, which ended up being the catalyst to her getting clean.

The TV presenter said the tough conversation came after she had become 'a bit of a mess' with heroin - and had lost all of her friends bar author Sarah. 

Appearing on mother-daughter duo Andi and Miquita Oliver's podcast Stirring It Up podcast, Davina brought along her best friend of 37 years, Sarah.

Davina recalled a day where Sarah pretended to drive her to Santana before taking the opportunity to call out her friend's drug problem. 

This was a turning point for Davina and spurred her to call for help regarding her addiction for fear of losing her close friend. 

'It was a bit of a mess and [with heroin] I was very rigid and boundaried about it,' Davina said. 'I left my job because that was the problem – I got worse. 

'I left my boyfriend because that was the problem – I got worse… and then I was just left with me. Nobody really wanted to hang out with me. I was one of those people that used to fall asleep at dinner parties.'

Recalling the day, she continued: '[Sarah] got me in a car and we were going to go and see Santana and then she locked the car door. She went, "I'm not taking you to Santana, I just wanted to talk to you". 

'I'd moved back in with my mum and dad because I had no money and no friends left. I was really kind of just at rock bottom and [Sarah] went, "I know you've been lying to me, I know you've been telling me that you're clean but I can see you're not".'

Sarah told Davina that she was the 'topic of conversation at every dinner I go to, every coffee I have with friends... everywhere I go, you are what we are talking about'.

This angered Davina, and in an emotional reaction she swore at her friend and left the car crying. But Sarah's word stuck with her.

Davina said: 'I was like, "Well f**k you, f**k you, f**k you!" Got out the car, slammed the door, already my heart is breaking in two. 

'Turn away from the car, start crying, make it to the door, thinking I'm not going to f***ing turn round. Sit down on the bed - that is like a camp bed because my parents didn't have a bedroom for me to sleep in - just sit there and go "What the actual f*ck, this is my life, what have I f**king done?" I've lost my only friend, I've just told her to f**k off, I am broken.'

Davina then called an addict who had got clean that she had met previously and started her recovery journey.

'I cried all night, woke up the next morning, went straight to [Sarah's] office and took her a bunch of s***ty, cheap flowers as I didn't have any money and went, "I'm not expecting you to believe me, but I do want to get clean. I'm sorry about what I said.".'

During the podcast, Davina started crying as she recalled the moment, before turning to Sarah and saying: 'I could see there was distrust in your eyes, like "Well show me" and I thought "Oh I've really broken it, it's not going to get fixed again" and I thought I really better do this. 

'And It was almost like I was okay with losing everyone else, but not Sarah.'

Fitness

Davina is known for being a fitness fanatic and often gives an insight into her exercise routine on her social media pages. 

The former Big Brother host has previously given an insight into her health and fitness regime as she spoke about how exercise is important for her mental health.

She shared: 'Page one of longevity and mental health is exercise. I exercise three or four times a week for a minimum of half an hour, but no more than 40 minutes because I don't have time.

'I don't work with a trainer. I just go on my platform, Own Your Goals Davina, and look for a boxing class or a barre class, depending on what I'm in the mood for. I never realised how good being fit felt until now.'

Davina previously dismissed claims that she is addicted to physical exercise after documenting her regimented, healthy lifestyle across social media.

The presenter's lean physique, frequently displayed on Instagram, had previously sparked concern among fans, with many claiming she looks emaciated, ill and underfed as a result of her dedication to personal fitness.

But mother-of-three Davina insists the relentless criticism she suffers is way off the mark, telling issue of Health and Wellbeing in 2019 that she is too busy with her responsibility as a working mum to devote her life to the gym.

'It doesn’t really make me feel anything,' she said. 'If I could be addicted to exercise, I would love to be, given half a chance!

'It’s funny how people talk about this kind of terrible thing of addiction to exercise. I mean, I haven’t exercised for two weeks because I’ve been working so hard.'

While Davina's social media accounts focus on diet and lifestyle, she admits she rarely has the opportunity to exercise on a daily basis, with her workouts restricted to just three a week.

'I would give anything to go to the gym – I’d love to be able to do that but I work, I’m a mum and I cannot be addicted to exercise, so it’s just a bit of a silly nothing,' she said.

'Because of my busy schedule, the most I can do is three to four times a week, but the minute I retire or the kids leave home or whatever, I’d love to work out daily. I don’t see what’s wrong with it.

'I’d love to do an hour every day, whether it be a walk, or a cycle, or a swim – just to keep moving.'