Davina McCall makes emotional public appearance after brain surgery
Davina McCall has become emotional during her first public appearance since undergoing brain surgery, speaking at a Brain Tumour Research Campaign (BTRC) event on Thursday.
The 57-year-old presenter took to the podium at All Saints Church in Fulham, sharing her personal story with the audience.
Earlier this month she had an operation to remove a benign brain tumour called a colloid cyst after a company offered her a health scan in return for giving a menopause talk.
She was introduced to the stage by BTRC chairman Kevin O’Neill, the neurosurgeon who performed her surgery.
After giving him a long hug, McCall stepped up, saying: “I’m not going to cry… I’m crying already. That didn’t go well”.
She went on: “I know lots of you here are on your own brain tumour journey and many of you have lost loved ones to a brain tumour.
“I lost my sister to a brain tumour in 2012, and my ex-father-in-law a year ago.”
McCall’s sister Caroline Baday died from lung and bone cancer in 2012 at the age of 50 and had been told by doctors she also had two tumours on her brain.
Sharing a selection of photos and short videos of the night, the charity thanked McCall, hailing her “a powerful voice for this cause”.
When she first shared news of her brain tumour, described it as “big”, 14mm wide, explaining: “It needs to come out, because if it grows it would be bad.”
She described the cyst as “very rare,” and the chances of having it “three in a million”.
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She said it would be removed via a craniotomy, describing the procedure: “They go through the top of my head here and through the two halves of my brain to the middle.
“They get the cyst, take it out, empty it, and Bob’s your uncle.”
McCall shared a short video from her bed once she returned home after surgery, saying her short-term memory was “a bit remiss,” and she was “writing everything down, to keep myself feeling safe”.
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Davina McCall shares health update
According to the NHS, non-cancerous brain tumours are slow-growing and unlikely to spread but are still serious and can be life-threatening.
McCall rose to fame presenting on MTV in the mid-1990s, and later on Channel 4’s Streetmate, before becoming a household name as the host of Big Brother from 2000 to 2010.
She’s gone on to present programmes across the networks, and currently presents ITV dating show My Mum, Your Dad.
Last year, McCall, who has three children with her second husband presenter Matthew Robertson, was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2023 Birthday Honours for services to broadcasting.
She has lived with hairdresser Michael Douglas since 2022.
Entertainment
Snoop Dogg becomes co-owner and investor of Swansea football club saying it’s ‘an underdog just like me’
Police are taking no further action over Kneecap’s performance at Glastonbury.
Officers said they had investigated “comments about a forthcoming court case made during Kneecap’s performance” at the festival on 28 June.
However, after Crown Prosecution Service advice, they decided there is not enough evidence “to provide a realistic prospect of conviction for any offence”.
The Avon & Somerset force started investigating the Irish group’s show last month, as well as comments by punk-rap duo Bob Vylan.
It said they were looking at a possible public order incident.
Police said on Friday that the investigation into Bob Vylan’s performance was ongoing.
The London duo were widely criticised – and caused a BBC crisis – after leading on-stage chants of “death to the IDF” (Israel Defence Forces).
Kneecap’s Liam Og O Hannaidh appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in June. Pic: PA
Kneecap posted a photograph on Instagram, which the group said was an email from police announcing the case was being dropped.
They said their packed Glastonbury gig was a “celebration of love and solidarity” and reporting used “wildly misleading headlines”.
Fears over what Kneecap might do or say during the performance had prompted the BBC not to show it live.
The group said: “Every single person who saw our set knew no law was broken, not even close… yet the police saw fit to publicly announce they were opening an investigation.”
“There is no public apology, they don’t send this to media or post it on police accounts,” they added.
The police statement on Friday said they had informed Kneecap of their decision to drop the case.
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One of the group’s members appeared in court in June charged with a terror offence.
Liam Og O hAnnaidh is accused of displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah, a proscribed organisation in the UK, at a gig last year.
He was released on unconditional bail ahead of a second court appearance in August.
Entertainment
Tomorrowland: ‘Devastating’ blaze destroys main stage at major festival – two days before it was due to begin
A huge fire has destroyed the main stage of a major festival in Belgium – two days before it was due to begin.
Tomorrowland is a dance music event as big as Glastonbury – and David Guetta was due to perform.
Footage showed flames and thick plumes of black smoke engulfing the stage and spreading to nearby woodland on Wednesday.
The fire gutted the main stage
Fire crews attempt to bring the blaze under control
The annual festival in the town of Boom, north of Brussels, is one of the biggest in Europe and attracts about 400,000 people over two consecutive weekends.
It is famous for its immersive and elaborate designs and attracts big names within dance music – including Guetta, best known for tracks When Love Takes Over and Titanium.
Dutch DJs Martin Garrix and Charlotte de Witte were also due to perform, along with the likes of Swedish House Mafia, Eric Prydz and Alok.
Black smoke could be seen rising into the sky
The festival’s website described the creative elements which went into the elaborate main stage.
The theme, described as Orbyz, was “set in a magical universe made entirely out of ice” and “full of mythical creatures”.
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Organisers said no one was injured in the blaze but confirmed “our beloved main stage has been severely damaged”, adding they were “devastated”.
Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen added: “We received some truly terrible news today. A fire broke out on the Tomorrowland site … and our main stage was essentially destroyed there, which is truly awful.
“That’s a stage that took years to build, with so much love and passion. So I think a lot of people are devastated.”
Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen told reporters ‘a lot of people are devastated’
Despite the fire, Tomorrowland organisers said they were still expecting 38,000 festivalgoers at DreamVille, the event’s campsite.
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