Category News

TV star Davina McCall vows to be friends for life with the surgeon who operated on her brain and saved her life last year.

The 57-year-old TV star underwent the complex five-hour operation in November last year, after a cyst was discovered during a routine body scan. While filming her documentary on the menopause, Davina was offered the scan and despite initially refusing, she eventually accepted, and the benign tumour on her brain was found by doctors in August 2023.

She admitted in a new interview that she ignored the diagnosis the cyst was benign, and wasn’t life-threatening. “I just heard the word ‘ benign ‘ and thought, ‘ Oh, that’s OK, ‘” she explained. More than 12 months later, she finally decided to have the surgery, and was operated on by consultant neurosurgeon, Kevin O’Neill in London. Now, the former Big Brother host has declared Kevin will be her friend for life after the five-hour operation.

Speaking to The Times, Davina revealed she had prepared for her death, even though the risk of dying during the operation was highly unlikely, and she heaped praise on Kevin, who she met with for the first time since the surgery. “We’re going to be friends for the rest of our lives”, she excitedly told him. “We are going to go out to dinner with our partners! We are going to do it”!

Davina, who has three grown up children – Holly, Tilly and Chester – with ex-husband Matthew Robertson, has a special bond with the neurosurgeon, and Kevin admitted he and the TV presenter have an “emotional connection”. He said of the mum-of-three: “Davina is a special person”. Later in the interview, she heartbreakingly recalled the conversation she had with Kevin before the surgery.

“I said to him, ‘ You do whatever you need to do. I put all my faith in you. ‘ He doesn’t need me screaming at him to keep me alive. He needs to be in the calmest and most confident place. I wanted to empower Kevin to do the best job he could”, she explained.

Now, Davina has made a full recovery, and revealed some of her symptoms, which she attributed to the menopause before the cyst was discovered, have gone, leaving her feeling more alert and active just days after the op. “I’d noticed that I wasn’t thinking so much. A week after the operation, it was like, ‘ Wow. My mind feels more active”, Davina shared.

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTubeand Threads.

With suede still dominating as spring’s top trend, it’s no surprise that some of our favourite pieces have continued to be a sell out. One item that seems to have been top of everyone’s list is Marks &amp, Spencer’s sold out brown suede loafers, which cost £55 and have been sold out consistently ever since they launched.

If you’ve desperately been eyeing them up but didn’t manage to get your hands on them then you’re in luck. We’ve spotted this very similar pair of Lillian Penny Loafer Flat Shoes in Brown from Schuh, and you can snap them up for the exact same price.

READ MORE: M&amp, S ‘ viral suede loafers now come in a backless version ready for spring

READ MORE: Frankie Bridge’s sunglasses are an affordable alternative to £345 YSL pair

Just like the coveted M&amp, S pair, Schuh’s Lillian Penny Loafers come in a rich chocolate brown colour and are made from 100% suede, which makes them durable and comfortable to wear. They have a slip on design, with a classic oval toed silhouette and tab details over the front.

The flat rubber soles also give plenty of flexibility, so you can spend all day walking around in them without your feet aching. Plus, unlike the sold out Marks &amp, Spencer’s pair, you can still snap up the Lillian Penny Loafers in all sizes from a UK3 to a UK8.

One reason brown suede loafers have been at the top of everyone’s list this season is because of how versatile they are. The perfect balance of smart and casual, you can just as easily pair yours with straight leg jeans and a T-shirt for running errands as you can with a pair of trousers and a shirt for work.

The chocolate brown shade is also universally flattering on all skin tones, and works with just about any colour. Whether you stick to neutrals like beige, navy and black or opt for brighter hues like red, pink and butter yellow (another top colour to watch this season).

If you want some other colours to pick from, Ariat’s Selene Driving Shoes, £90, come in a choice of four different shades and prints, tan, pink, olive and leopard print. They also have a slightly softer, more flexible design and come in sizes from 3 to 8.5 with half sizes available throughout.

For a luxury pick, or if you need larger sizes, Massimo Dutti’s Split Suede Penny Loafers are £149 and have a similar silhouette to the Schuh pair. With a penny strap across the front and low black rubber sole, the men’s loafers come in sizes 6 to 11.