Inside Davina McCall’s health battles as she marries secretly months after brain tumour surgery

TV star Davina McCall has married her partner three months after he popped the question. The news is all the more special given Davina’s serious recent health concerns

Davina McCall has had a magical end to a difficult year. The 58-year-old presenter has married her partner Michael Douglas in a romantic low key ceremony.

Michael, a celebrity hairdresser, proposed during a romantic trip to Ibiza just three months ago, and the happy couple exchanged vows during an intimate ceremony on Friday in front of family and close friends. It was reportedly followed by a larger service attended by more people the next day.

The news is all the more joyful given Davina’s incredibly difficult health journey recently. In November, she revealed she had undergone surgery after being diagnosed with breast cancer, announcing the news in an emotional video posted on Instagram.

READ MORE: Real reason for Davina McCall’s sudden wedding after three month engagementREAD MORE: Davina McCall makes her first public appearance after sharing breast cancer diagnosis

The 58-year-old admitted she felt “very angry” when she found out, but said she felt in a “much more positive place” following the lumpectomy in October.

She said: “I just wanted to tell you I have had breast cancer, I found a lump a few weeks ago and it came and went. But then when I was filming the Masked Singer the show Lorraine, put signs on the back of their toilet doors saying ‘check your breasts’ and every time I went for a wee I did that, and it was still there. So I underwent a biopsy and it was indeed breast cancer and I had it taken out in a lumpectomy nearly three weeks weeks ago.”

The star confirmed that the disease had been caught early and it had successfully been removed in surgery. She thanked staff at the Royal Marsden hospital in London, along with her family and her “brilliant kids” – and she sent an “extra special thanks” to her partner Michael.

READ MORE: Davina McCall lands huge new presenting role after announcing breast cancer surgery

That diagnosis came after Davina had surgery just last year to remove a benign brain tumour, known as a colloid cyst, which was found after she was offered a health check-up as part of her menopause advocacy work.

Confessing that she had assumed she’d ‘ace’ the scan, Davina shared: “I was offered a health scan which I thought I was going to ace but it turned out I had a benign brain tumour, which is very rare, three in a million.”

Although she was thankfully found to be at no immediate risk, Davina revealed that doctors had feared the tumour could grow and cause complications, and so made the decision to operate. Clarifying that the tumour is ‘very rare’, Davina also asked followers to pray for her, continuing: “I slightly put my head in the sand for a while, I saw a few neurosurgeons, had quite a lot of opinions and realised I needed to take it out.

“It’s quite big, it’s 14mm wide and it needs to come out because if it grows it would be bad. I’m having it removed. Say a prayer for me. I’m in good spirits.”

Davina shared that she would need to stay in hospital for nine days before being allowed to return home to continue her recovery. As Davina continued her recuperation period, her boyfriend Michael – who has been with the star since 2019 – took over her social media channels, where he reassured fans that although the popular presenter was in ‘great shape’ she would remain ‘off grid’ for now.

READ MORE: Davina McCall fights back tears and says ‘you saved me’ after fresh health battle

In recent years, Davina has been focused on maintaining a active, health conscious lifestyle – which she adopted in her 30s after welcoming her children. However, her teenage years and 20s were marred by a dark drug addiction, which began at the age of just 14 when she did cocaine with her sister.

A year later, she did cocaine again, this time with her French mother Florence, a woman Davina recalls as being a ‘chaotic’ and ‘party central’ alcoholic in a 2023 interview with The Times. During a 2023 episode of the Diary of a CEO podcast, Davina, who would take cannabis with Florence when she was just 12, told host Steven Bartlett that she’d also used heroin by her 16th birthday.

A turning point came when Davina was 24, when her friend Sarah issued a stern ultimatum on the way to a concert. Davina told podcast listeners: “My best friend said she was going to take me to Santana…she got me into her car. And I got in the car and she shut the doors and she said, ‘I’m actually not going to take you to Santana. I need to tell you some things’. She said, ‘I know that you’ve been lying to me’. Davina confessed: “I had just come off the back of a 24 hour cocaine bender which is what made me realise heroin wasn’t my problem, all drugs were my problem.”

She continued: “My friend said, ‘We all know you been lying to us, all your friends, and you are the topic of conversation at every dinner party I go to.’ The shame starts piling on. I started to feel a little bit, ‘well f*** you’ to her. This is virtually my only friend I’ve got left’.”

READ MORE: Davina McCall ‘terrified’ as she breaks silence on engagement after ‘fake proposal’

Despite her initial anger, which saw Davina slam the door and burst into tears, the tough love message sunk in and she started to seek help. “I was a mess. You name it, I took it. Cocaine, ecstasy and heroin,” she told The Mirror .

Tragedy nearly struck Davina after she accidentally overdosed while trying to escape her ‘dark’ reality. “Drugs took me to a very, very, very dark place and, one night, I overdosed,” she admitted. “It was very frightening as it was a very gradual overdose. I’d had a cocktail of drugs, because I didn’t want to feel normal. I was constantly trying to escape myself – I was like a piece of fruit rotting from the inside.”

She went on to reflect: “When you hate yourself so much, you think you are worthless. Someone would smile at me and I wouldn’t understand why as I wasn’t worth anything. I had to try and love myself but I didn’t even like myself, so it was a big leap.”

Since she was ‘high-functioning’, right up until her argument with Sarah, Davina had believed she was getting away with her drug use. She told This Morning in 2016: “I always wore make-up, I had a job, I didn’t steal. I wasn’t like your average street junkie,”

“Everyone is different, but for me, it was when my friend said, ‘Everyone is talking about you and what a mess you are,’ that changed things. I thought I was fully functioning. But I wasn’t. My cover was blown.”

Davina finally got clean at the age of 25 with the help of her then boyfriend and music legend Eric Clapton, who supported her as she attended meetings at Narcotics Anonymous (NA). She went on to land a life-changing presenting gig with MTV in 1992 and the rest, as they say, is history. Davina asserted: “And because I got clean I got the job I’d dreamed of and that changed my life forever.”

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Selling Sunset star under fire for comments about Charlie Kirk’s wife Erika

Christine Quinn has slammed Erika Kirk for not spending enough time with her children as she has been making regular TV appearances in the wake of her husband’s death

Former Selling Sunset star Christine Quinn has received backlash online after making pointed remarks about Erika Kirk, the widow of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was fatally shot three months ago during a university event in Utah.

Christine took to X on Wednesday to criticise Erika, writing: “Erika Kirk be everywhere but with her kids.” The comment immediately ignited outrage, given Erika is still grieving her husband while navigating a highly publicised feud with former ally Candace Owens.

Erika had appeared on Fox News the same day, addressing the fallout from Candace’s recent insinuations that individuals within Charlie’s own political organisation, Turning Point USA, may have been linked to his death.

Erika fired back in a firm on-air statement: “Come after me, call me names, I don’t care. Call me what you want, go down that rabbit hole, whatever.”

She also revealed that Candace’s accusations have taken a toll on TPUSA staff, adding: “When you go after the people that I love and you’re making hundreds of thousands of dollars every single episode going after the people that I love because somehow they’re in on this? No.”

Christine appeared to align herself with Candace, as when one user replied to her tweet saying, “Candace Owens is not letting her off,” the reality star responded approvingly: “Candy stay standing on business.”

Another user claimed Erika’s recent media presence contradicted her late husband’s strong stance on traditional family roles, writing, “Charlie told women to stay at home and raise kids and his wife be doing the complete opposite,” to which Christine agreed: “This.”

However, some people quickly leapt to Erika’s defence. One user noted, “She takes her children to work with her…stop being so hateful,” while another hit back at Christine saying, “A woman should be with her children 24/7/365 and not be allowed to work? How awfully progressive of you.”

Christine Quinn and Erika Kirk’s publicists have been contacted for comment. The controversy comes after a turbulent time in Christine’s personal life.

Earlier this year, the Selling Sunset star broke down in an emotional interview as she discussed her painful split from ex-husband Christian Dumontet.

The pair got married in a gothic-themed ceremony that was filmed for the Netflix show, but got divorced after Christian was arrested following an alleged domestic incident at their Los Angeles home.

Christine later revealed she felt her world had “collapsed overnight,” telling People: “I was stripped of my entire life overnight. I literally had nothing and it was dehumanising.”

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She added: “This is something that had been under the surface for a long time, it was extremely unhealthy, and I like to think that I’m extremely resilient — and I am.

“I made a vow, and I really didn’t want to break that. It took everything out of me, it really did, to realise that this is the right thing to do. And then it became a matter of safety.” The reality star said she ultimately left her husband to keep their young son safe.

Olivia Attwood admits ‘really bad’ patch with Bradley Dack who ‘wasn’t perfect either’

Olivia Attwood has opened up about her ‘really bad summer’ with husband Bradley Dack, who she admits was ‘p**sed off with’ her over the cosy snaps of her alongside Pete Wicks

Olivia Attwood has got incredibly candid about her relationship woes with Bradley Dack, after she was snapped looking cosy with pal Pete Wicks in Ibiza.

Speculation over 34 year old Olivia’s marriage to Bradley Dack, who she wed in June 2023, had been rife earlier this year after Olivia was photographed looking cosy with her KISS FM radio co-host Pete Wicks in Ibiza earlier this year.

The snaps started a frenzy of rumours about Olivia’s marriage to Bradley, 31, with the footballer reportedly ‘furious’ over the snaps with Pete.

READ MORE: Olivia Attwood ‘defeated’ by mystery illness as doctors issue warningREAD MORE: Olivia Attwood and ‘nemesis’ Maura Higgins’ awkward clash as they wear identical dresses to awards

Over the weeks which followed Olivia remained silent about the rumours surrounding her marriage – breaking that silence during an appearance on Loose Women in which she said: “I am not going through a divorce by the way! I am not [divorcing] Brad is lovely.”

However, now she has spoken out in more detail and revealed her and Brad went through a ‘really bad summer’ – revealing he also ‘wasn’t perfect’ throughout their tough time. Speaking on an episode of her podcast, Olivia’s House, she revealed: “There’s no secret we had… I’d say we had a really bad summer.”

Olivia insisted whatever she discusses in public about her marriage with Bradley has already been cleared with him in advance. She then continued: “It’s no secret we had a bad summer and I think that there was stuff going on on different sides and marriage is really f**king hard.”

While revealing how long she and Brad had been together for, Olivia then revealed: “The whole concept of marriage a longterm relationships, it is actually so unnatural in the way that the person that you are when you meet is not the person that I am today. And the same with him. You’re always kind of re-getting to know eachother and kind of learning how to navigate your relationship in this new stage you’re in. I think that this will relate to some people but, you know, he wasn’t perfect either during when we’ve had these issues – there’s issues that he brought to the table that I’ll let him share with you when we come together on the pod at some point.”

Olivia then discussed her partying antics as she explained: “But, for me, when I’m feeling the pressure of my job, I’m not splitting my time right and I’m feeling frustrations with him I can be a little bit self-destruct in the sense of kind of just push away, rather than leaning in and being like, ‘we should reconnect’ we ended up just pushing each other away. And the rumour mill was in full swing about us having a divorce and there were source quotes going out and they were… maybe they were from people we know. This source quotes thing, papers and magazines, there’s no way to ever know who a source is unless it’s some information that someone else had and the source quotes were very generalised so I don’t know, it could have been completely false, it could have been some distant person who hardly f**king knows us, who knows.”

Olivia revealed she was advised by her PR team to post loved-up snaps with Brad or make public appearances together so people would ‘draw a line under it’. However, Olivia revealed she didn’t feel comfortable with the idea as she said: “At the time we really weren’t getting along very well and I just… that’s just not who I am. I don’t like the idea of forcing photos out on my Instagram to pretend we’re really happy when we really weren’t. Or, you know, he doesn’t like red carpets anyway so why am I gonna… I’ve been in Ibiza, I’ve been pictured with my mate from my radio show being too close, he’s already p**sed off with me. Why am I going to be like, ‘now you have to come with me to a red carpet and stand next to me and pretend like we’re really happy…’ I said this and my agents got it I was like, ‘I actually think I’m tempting fate by forcing that narrative,’ because then I felt like there was even more pressure on us to live up to this narrative – I’d rather just.. I’ll say what I need to say but I’d rather just let things naturally sort themselves out and he’d naturally, organically start appearing in my content more and I’m proud of myself for being transparent enough to say that to you.”

She added: “I know so many people are saying that… I get it, I think I’ve been in this industry long enough now I understand the position of a publicist and they’re there to help me and I understand their point of view on it but now I think I’ve been here long enough to be like, ‘I get what you’re saying but I actually think I’ve got the confidence to just ride this out a little bit and yeah it means people will still keep talking but I think putting out content that is not genuine would stress me out more’.”

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Kendall Jenner’s stylish and waterproof wellies from Princess Kate-loved brand are now £35 off

Kendall Jenner nailed cosy country chic recently with a pair of classic red Hunter wellies that are also loved by Kate Middleton – and we know where you can shop them with £35 off

The dreary winter weather has got us all looking for ways to stay warm and dry, especially when it comes to our footwear. Usually finding a pair of boots that not only look great but keep our feet dry might seem like an impossible task sometimes, but luckily we’ve got some very stylish celebs to guide the way.

In her recent Architectural Digest feature, Kendall Jenner was spotted wearing a pair of classic Hunter Women’s Original Tall Wellies in red whilst showing off her renovated Airstream. The boots are a classic choice, and are also a go-to for Kate Middleton, who swapped her usual Le Chameau Vierzon Jersey Lined Wellington Boots for a navy pair of Hunter boots in her World Bee Keeping video on Instagram in 2023.

READ MORE: Emma Louise Connolly’s cosy M&S winter coat feels like a hug and ‘hangs so nicely’

READ MORE: Millie Mackintosh’s under-£50 cashmere jumper is the ‘best base to every look’

Whilst Princess Kate ’s navy pair are a classic, we love the pop of colour Kendall’s red ones brought to her countryside outfit in the Architectural Digest feature. She paired them with a pair of white vintage Levi’s jeans and a striped J.Crew jumper for the ultimate cosy, comfortable and effortless look.

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Although the Hunter Women’s Original Tall Wellies are usually priced at £125, Amazon shoppers can currently snap them up with a huge £35 discount after they were slashed to £89.99. Despite their impressive discount, they’re still available in sizes three to eight so you can snap up a pair ready for the next cold spell.

The reason the Hunter boots are so popular with everyone from A-listers to Royals isn’t just because of their heritage – they were originally commissioned by the Duke of Wellington, after all. It’s because they manage to tie practicality and style together, with natural vulcanised rubber outers that keep them fully waterproof, and a textile lining that keeps them comfortable and adds some warmth.

You also get plenty of grip on slippy terrain thanks to the tread sole, and the adjustable strap around the top makes them fit snugly. The Hunter Women’s Original Tall Wellies are also made from 28 individual parts, which makes them well crafted and longlasting.

Amazon shoppers have also praised the boots, with one writing: “I am so happy I got these boots for this price. It originally and looks great and good for winter.”

Another said: “Love my red wellies! They really brighten up a dull, drizzly day. They are very comfy and fit well with normal thickness socks (I ordered size 3 boots) – they are a bit snug if very thick socks are worn. There is no way water or mud will get in.”

One reviewer did caution: “Comfy wellies. Fashionable. The only criticism I have is that they don’t always fit with my outfits if I’m wearing thick trousers. Only really works with leggings. I have stronger calves but am still thin so for anyone with bigger calf muscles, consider getting a pair that don’t go up so high. Seems like these are designed especially for skinny beanpoles with no muscle or curves. Beautiful boots though!”

Another agreed: “Need to order a size up from your usual if you want to wear a thick sock or tuck trousers in to the boots. It would be helpful if Hunter made them in half sizes.”

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However others raved about the Hunter Women’s Original Tall Wellies, saying: “The best boots around, on my 3rd pair , they last for years and great for walking! Never that warm , but cope with most weathers. Was so pleased to find a 7 in the red, which is a beautiful colour.”

Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson to reprise iconic roles in Hunger Games prequel

Jennifer Lawrence, 35, and Josh Hutcherson, 33, are set to return as Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark in the upcoming Hunger Games prequel, Sunrise on the Reaping, it has been reported

Jennifer Lawrence, 35, and Josh Hutcherson, 33, are set to step back into the shoes of Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark.

The dynamic duo are tipped to reprise their roles for the Hunger Games prequel, Sunrise on the Reaping. The forthcoming film, an adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ manuscript, is primarily centred around a young Haymitch Abernathy, but it also features a moment that fans hold dear.

In the novel’s final pages, Suzanne crafted a poignant epilogue, which catapults readers far into the future, beyond even the conclusion of Mockingjay. In this epilogue, Haymitch references Katniss and Peeta and their post-Games existence.

The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed the pair’s return, though further details remain shrouded in mystery. However, fans can divert their attention to other exciting casting announcements for now.

READ MORE: Netflix to axe entire Harry Potter box set very soonREAD MORE: Glenn Close shows off huge transformation in major Hunger Games role

Indeed, the upcoming film boasts a star-studded line-up, featuring actors who will breathe life into beloved characters. Elle Fanning has been cast as Effie Trinket, a role fans have long envisioned her in, reports the Mirror US.

Other notable cast members include Ralph Fiennes as President Snow, Jesse Plemons as Plutarch Heavensbee, Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Beetee Latier, and Kieran Culkin as Caesar Flickerman.

Young Haymitch, a role originally brought to life by Woody Harrelson, will now be portrayed by rising star Joseph Zada. The fresh ensemble also features Mckenna Grace, Maya Hawke, and Whitney Peak as part of the new generation.

Meanwhile, Glenn Close is set to take on a previously unseen character, Drusilla Sickle. Cinema-goers can mark their calendars for November 20, 2026, when the film arrives in theatres.

Speaking previously, Josh revealed he’d be keen to return to the beloved franchise. “Send a script in! I would love to,” he told Good Morning America when quizzed about it by weather presenter Sam Champion.

“Me, Jen, and Liam [Hemsworth] maintained friendships over the years. I mean, shooting those movies together was just the times of our lives and we had so much fun.

“The years are long but I’d love to find a way to get back into the Hunger Games world with them or anything. We are putting it out there [to the universe],” he continued.

There’s been no confirmation regarding Liam’s participation. Given that his character Gale Hawthorne featured in the original trilogy but doesn’t appear in the Sunrise on the Reaping storyline, his return remains uncertain.

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‘I starred in iconic Christmas film but I never watch it for one reason’

The stars of one of the most popular Christmas films of all time says she hardly ever watches the movie despite being a popular choice for families over the festive season

One of the stars of an iconic Christmas film says she never watches her movie for one simple reason.

Kate Winslet starred in The Holiday in 2006 with Jude Law, Cameron Diaz and Jack Black. The film, which has become a Christmas classic, sees two unlucky love woman – played by Winslet and Diaz – switch their homes on opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean.

Despite the huge commercial success of the film released almost 20 years ago, the Oscar-winning actress insists she hasn’t seen The Holidays for many years.

Speaking to the BBC, she admitted that she and her family “don’t sit down and watch films I’m in”.

The romcom shows Winslet, who plays Iris Simpkins, and Diaz arranging a transatlantic house swap over the Christmas holidays. Winslet spends the Christmas season in Los Angeles where she meets a love interest, played by Black.

Diaz’s character falls for Winslet’s on-screen brother, played by Law, when she stays in a cottage in the Cotswolds’ countryside.

The Holiday has become a popular move for families to watch at Christmas along with other seasonal films like Home Alone, Love Actually and It’s A Wonderful Life.

Winslet, who won the best actress Oscar for her role in The Reader while she has been nominated six more times, said she watches “almost everything” she has starred in just once.

She added: “When you watch the finished product, for most actors, that’s an excruciating experience. It’s something you kind of have to go through.”

Winslet also received best actress nominations for Titanic, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Little Children. She was put forward for best supporting actress for her roles in Sense and Sensibility, Iris and Steve Jobs.

The actress has recently gone behind the camera for the first time. Her directorial debut, Goodbye June, will be released on Netflix on Christmas Eve.

The film, written by her son Joe Anders, sees siblings navigating family tension as their mother, who is approaching the end of her life, undergoes palliative care during the holiday period. The screenplay was inspired by the death of Winslet’s mother, Sally, who died from ovarian cancer in 2017.

Explaining why she has decided to go behind the camera now, Winslet said: “Now is a time when I’ve felt that my children are grown up enough that I can be that little more absent, just mentally absent.

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“I just don’t think I would have honestly had the time before now, because I’ve been a mum since I was 25 and that’s been my priority alongside acting, and that was already a bit of a juggle.”