Davina McCall: Peter Kay Reached Out When I Was ‘Going Through Hell’
In an interview, Davina McCall disclosed how the calls made by comedian Peter Kay were instrumental during her brain tumor and cancer diagnoses. At 58, although Davina doesn’t have a close friendship with the comedian, he called just to let his support be felt by Davina’s family and put them to rest during one of the most challenging times of her life.
Davina shared details of the most difficult times and most triumphant ones that she experienced in her career at the podium while also at home.
She explained, “I had this brain tumor diagnosis, and I decided to speak about it because I intended to vanish from the surface of the Earth for three months. Hence, I just said exactly what type of tumor I had, its size, and the medical name so that the media could get their stuff on it and I would not be disturbed afterwards. And it turned out to be a brilliant solution.”
Davina McCall Opens Up On Anger Over Breast Cancer Questions
But when I got breast cancer, it was like f**k, I could really vanish and not have a single discussion about it. I suppose you might say I couldn’t go ahead with it simply because I had the same sort of thing done a long time ago. Do you know who was it that helped me? A complete surprise. It must have been Peter Kay who phoned me when I was still hospitalized due to my brain tumor. Although we are not that close, to be honest.
When I discovered that I had breast cancer, he again gave me a helping hand, and he continued to ask me things like “What do you want to do?” I think that really offended me because what I thought, I was being asked HRT questions. Then I would be judged anyway.
In 2024 Davina had brain surgery for the removal of a benign tumor and she was so terrified that she even wrote farewell letters to her family members who are the most precious people in her life. She then announced on breast cancer surgery in November 2025, saying via social media that “I am so relieved” that the cancer has not spread.
Davina McCall Thanks Royal Marsden Staff And Peter Kay After Cancer Battles
Grateful to her medical team at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London, she had her breast cancer operated on through a lumpectomy; she advised women to have their breasts examined by an expert.
Encouraging a woman with illness by being in contact with her was not new for Kay, 53. He saw, via regional news in Manchester in 2021, a report about Laura Nuttall’s battle with brain cancer and after contacting her by telephone, he raised money for her treatment.
TV star Davina has anchored shows such as Big Brother and Streetmate earlier in her career; she said she was going to be living her best life after recovering from her disease. She also enjoys her married life, with her second husband, Michael Douglas, and, along with it, her thriving career, which includes the likes of the ITV show Long Lost Family and her podcast Begin Again.
Davina McCall: Why I’m Skipping Strictly And I’m A Celeb
She mentioned her desire to produce more health-related documentaries for women in the future. When asked if she might participate as a contestant on some major programs airing after dinnertime, she replied, “The thing about Strictly is that it is a Christmas-time program. I’m regularly asked to join it, and also I am a celebrity, which I’ve been asked to join every year. I don’t think I’ll ever do the I’m a Celeb thing. It reminds me of the whole Big Brother idea; you get totally naked, even figuratively. I do prefer to have it at least partly for my family to know privately what I do.”
