Celebrities have flocked to wish Davina McCall well after she revealed she has been diagnosed with a brain tumour, with fellow TV presenter Amanda Holden sending “so much love”.
The 57-year-old said she was diagnosed with the condition after being offered a health check-up as part of her menopause advocacy work, and will now be undergoing an operation to remove the 14mm wide tumour.
In a post on Instagram she said: “I’m posting this. It will be Friday morning, and I’m doing it because a few months ago, I did a menopause talk for a company, and they offered me a health scan in return, which I thought I was going to ace, but it turned out I had a benign brain tumour called a colloid cyst, which is very rare, three in a million.
“And so I slightly put my head in the sand for a while, and then I saw quite a few neuro surgeons. I got lots of opinions, and I realised that I have to get it taken out.”
Following her announcement, celebrities including Holden, Pussycat Dolls singer Ashley Roberts and Olympic heptathlon gold medallist Dame Denise Lewis reached out to the presenter.
In reply to McCall’s post, Dame Denise said: “Love you darling. You’ve got this. See you on the other side of the op.”
Britain’s Got Talent judge Holden added: “Sending so much love.”
The former Big Brother presenter said she is having the tumour removed through a craniotomy, a surgical procedure on the brain, and she is in “good spirits”.
In reply, Roberts said: “All the love gorgeous one. Sending all the healing vibes. Love you.”
Fellow bandmate, Kimberly Wyatt said: “Oh babe, thinking about you – I can only imagine what you must be feeling.
“Keeping you in my heart and on my mind, take it easy lovely one.”
Former Holby City star Lisa Faulkner added: “Sending all my love to you. Best wishes and all positive prayers for a speedy recovery.”
BBC Radio 1 DJ Annie Mac described McCall as a “gorgeous woman” and said she was sending “every ounce of love”.
In the Instagram post on her account by McCall’s partner, Michael Douglas, he said he would keep fans updated on her condition.
Another fellow presenter Rylan, who won the 11th series of Celebrity Big Brother and later presented spin-off Big Brother’s Bit On The Side, also replied, saying: “We’re all thinking of you beautiful.”
Actor and presenter Denise van Outen added: “Big love to you too Michael.”
According to the NHS, non-cancerous brain tumours are more common in people over the age of 50, and symptoms include headaches, blackouts, behavioural changes and loss of consciousness.
McCall made her name on Big Brother between 2000 and 2010 during its Channel 4 run, and has gone on to present BBC Comic Relief and Sport Relief, The Million Pound Drop, and voiced a robot version of herself in Doctor Who.
She currently presents ITV dating show My Mum, Your Dad, and has long advocated on women’s health issues, having presented documentaries on contraception and the menopause.
McCall became an MBE in the King’s birthday honours last year for services to broadcasting.
She has also raised money for Cancer Research UK by running for Race For Life in honour of her late sister, Caroline Baday, who died from lung cancer in 2012 at the age of 50.
