Davina McCall makes emotional public appearance after brain surgery

Published

1 month ago

December 14, 2024

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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”.

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”.

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

Sting cancels shows and awards performance on advice of doctor

Published

2 hours ago

January 22, 2025

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Sting cancels shows and awards performance on advice of doctor

Sting has cancelled an awards ceremony performance and several shows at short notice this week, on the advice of his doctor.

An announcement on the British singer’s Instagram page said the decision had been made “due to illness” but did not include any more details.

Sting, 73, was due to perform at the Bass Magazine Awards in California, where he is set to be honoured with a lifetime achievement award, on Thursday.

He has also postponed shows in Phoenix, Arizona, and Wheatland, California, as well as a performance at a record label’s anniversary concert, which were all due to take place later this week.

“On advisement from his doctor, due to illness, it is with sincere regret that Sting must cancel his appearance at the Bass Magazine Awards this Thursday and postpone his STING 3.0 concerts,” the statement said.

The Phoenix show, originally scheduled for 24 January, has been moved to 1 June, while the 26 January Wheatland show has been pushed back to 28 May.

“Fans should retain their tickets for the postponed shows, as they will be honoured on the new dates,” the statement said.

“Sting sincerely apologises for any inconvenience and extends his gratitude to the fans for their understanding.”

The Cherrytree Music Company’s 20th anniversary event, also set to feature Shaggy and other artists, will now take place on 29 May.

Sting, whose real name is Gordon Sumner, rose to fame as frontman of The Police in the late 1970s and early 1980s, with hits including Roxanne, Message In A Bottle, Don’t Stand So Close To Me, and Every Breath You Take.

His success continued as a solo artist, with three number one albums in the UK chart and three top 10 singles – All For Love (with Bryan Adams and Sir Rod Stewart), When We Dance, and Rise And Fall (with Craig David) – as well as other hits including Englishman In New York, and If I Ever Lose My Faith In You.

In 2022, he became the latest in a list of high-profile artists, including Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan, who have sold their music rights, announcing that his back catalogue of solo material and songs he wrote for The Police had been acquired by Universal Music Publishing Group.

Entertainment

Netflix to raise prices for some subscribers as it reports 18.9 million new customers in three months

Published

5 hours ago

January 22, 2025

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Netflix to raise prices for some subscribers as it reports 18.9 million new customers in three months

Netflix is raising prices for some subscribers as it reported 18.9 million new customers in the last three months of 2024.

Prices will rise for users in the United States, Canada, Portugal and Argentina. Netflix has not confirmed if the UK will see any similar price increases.

In the United States a standard monthly plan with adverts will rise to $7.99 (£6.49), a standard plan without ads will increase to $17.99 (£14.60) and a premium plan has gone up to $22.99 (£18.66).

The price in the UK currently stands at £4.99 for a standard monthly plan with adverts, £10.99 for standard without ads, and £17.99 for a premium account.

Netflix ended last year with more than 300 million subscribers – an increase of 41 million from 2023. This eclipsed its previous best year, 2020, which saw it add 36.6 million subscribers as pandemic lockdowns saw people turn to the streaming giant for entertainment.

After it announced the increase in users, Netflix’s shares surged by 14%.

The increase in numbers is widely credited to Netflix’s streaming of a fight between YouTube sensation Jake Paul and former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson, as well as two National Football League games on Christmas Day.

Forrester Research analyst Mike Proulx says live programming is quickly becoming Netflix’s “secret ingredient” that is helping to widen its lead over its streaming rivals.

“With more choice in programming than ever before, streaming services need to differentiate,” Proulx said. “FOMO (fear of missing out) is a powerful tool in piquing interest and creating stickiness.”

In the final three months of 2024, Netflix earned $1.9bn, or $4.27 per share, nearly doubling from the same time in 2023.

Netflix appears confident the price increases will not trigger a backlash resulting in mass cancellations.

“When you’re going to ask for a price increase, you better make sure you have the goods and the engagement to back it up,” Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said during a conference call with analysts.

Netflix has been contacted for comment.

Entertainment

Joker: Folie a Deux leads Razzie Awards nominations

Published

7 hours ago

January 22, 2025

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Joker: Folie a Deux leads Razzie Awards nominations

Joker: Folie a Deux leads this year’s Razzie nominations – five years after the first film led the nods for the Oscars.

The infamous Golden Raspberry Awards mark the films its voters believe to be the worst of the year, with the winners always announced the night before the Academy Awards.

While Joker received 11 Oscar nominations in 2020 – with a best actor win for star Joaquin Phoenix – the sequel was not so well received.

It is up for seven prizes including worst film at this year’s Razzies, with Phoenix and his co-star Lady Gaga also nominated in the acting categories.

Also up for worst film are sci-fi comedy Borderlands, starring Oscar winner Cate Blanchett; the critically panned Spider-Man spin-off Madame Web, starring Dakota Johnson; Francis Ford Coppola’s self-financed passion project Megalopolis; and Reagan, starring Dennis Quaid as the former president.

Other actors nominated for what the Razzies describes as “less-than-stellar star turns in 2024” include Jennifer Lopez (Atlas), Kevin Hart (Borderlands), and one of Donald Trump’s newly appointed apparent “ambassadors to Hollywood” Jon Voight.

Voight has a “near record” four titles (Megalopolis, Reagan, Shadow Land and Strangers) that have been included in consideration for his nomination for worst supporting actor, organisers said.

Meanwhile, in contention for worst director alongside Coppola for Megalopolis are SJ Clarkson (Madame Web), Todd Phillips (Joker: Folie a Deux), Eli Roth (Borderlands), and Jerry Seinfeld (Unfrosted).

The Razzies nominations come a day before the shortlists for the Oscars are announced.

More than 1,200 Razzie members – “movie buffs, film critics and journalists” from across the US and more than 20 other countries – voted for the nominees.

The winners will be unveiled on Saturday 1 March, with the Oscars ceremony taking place on Sunday 2 March.