Davina McCall Diagnosed With Cardiovascular Disease Following Cancer and Brain Tumour Battles
TV presenter Davina McCall revealed she has cardiovascular disease, sharing the health update on her Begin Again podcast while urging women to pay greater attention to their heart health.
Podcast Disclosure Follows Prior Health Battles
The 59-year-old former Big Brother host spoke with heart attack survivor Louise McGill on the episode, released in partnership with the British Heart Foundation, to discuss the condition. “I wanted to let you know, I also have cardiovascular disease, and this is a very important conversation to have,” McCall said on the podcast. She reflected on how her previous health challenges altered her perspective on physical vulnerability, noting that after falling ill, people lose the sense that they are invincible. Prior to her cardiovascular diagnosis, McCall experienced high cholesterol for some time. “I had high cholesterol and had it for quite a long time,” she said, adding that it was deemed good cholesterol that offset the bad.
Cardiovascular disease encompasses conditions affecting the heart and blood vessels, with high cholesterol acting as a known risk factor. McCall urged women not to dismiss potential warning signs, particularly following the menopause. “Heart attacks and cardiovascular disease is rife out there particular in women post menopause,” she said, adding that her main takeaway was not to brush things off.
Previous Diagnoses of Breast Cancer and Brain Surgery
The latest health update follows several medical challenges for the presenter in recent years. In April, McCall announced she had received the all-clear from breast cancer following a diagnosis in October 2025, which was treated with surgery to remove a lump and subsequent radiotherapy, according to the article. Earlier, in November 2024, she underwent surgery known as a craniotomy to remove a benign brain tumour called a colloid cyst, which was discovered during a health check-up linked to her menopause advocacy work.
Recovery from the brain surgery involved significant memory loss. Speaking on Paloma Faith’s podcast Mad, Sad and Bad, McCall described experiencing symptoms similar to advanced Alzheimer’s immediately following the operation, noting she could not remember names, recent conversations, or plots of movies and books for months, as reported by the BBC. She credited singing lessons with helping her heal. Alongside her work on Big Brother, McCall has hosted programs including Long Lost Family and The Masked Singer, and has established herself as a prominent advocate for women’s health regarding the menopause.
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