Davina McCall offers rare insight to the early days of romance with boyfriend Michael Douglas as she describes ‘lightning bolt’ moment – after sharing her views on ‘sexless marriages’

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Davina McCall recently disclosed an uncommon glimpse into the early stages of her romantic connection with Michael Douglas, having been acquaintances for twenty years while both were previously wedded to others.

In 2017, the television host, now 57, parted ways with her former husband Matthew Robertson. Two years afterward, she started a relationship with her hairstylist, Michael, who is also 51 years old.

Davina and Michael considered each other more than acquaintances; they referred to themselves as “close family friends.” Michael would often bring his kids to visit Davina, where she’d style his hair.

Over the course of many years, Davina had become deeply familiar with her client’s life details, much like a hairdresser and client would be. Yet, there came a point when Davina realized that their relationship transcended the ordinary, referring to it as a ‘lightning bolt moment.’

When inquired if her relationship ‘developed’, she revealed to the Guardian, “It was more like a love-at-first-sight (coup de foudre) – unexpected and instant. Like a bolt of lightning. I might not want to discuss this further because I need to focus on Matthew. Michael and I were extremely close due to our professional connection as hairdresser and client.

I openly shared all my personal thoughts and feelings with him, finding him to be an exceptional listener who mirrored his own experiences with mine. We supported each other through our individual challenges, both being committed to our respective partners – him to his wife, me to my husband. Yet, the irony is that we were building a meaningful bond, only for it to suddenly end unexpectedly, leaving me bewildered, like looking at things through a new pair of glasses.

She emphasizes that she prioritizes being in a committed relationship, meaning she wants to be certain she’s involved with Robertson before considering any new relationships. In her perspective, once she’s with someone, her focus is solely on them and she doesn’t entertain thoughts of other people; she prefers being in an exclusive, monogamous relationship.

After undergoing a significant brain surgery last year, Davina has been candid about the impact it has had on her relationship with Michael.

More casually, she suggested that she might find contentment with someone despite a lack of sexual intimacy in a relationship, emphasizing that there are various means to cultivate closeness with another person.

Last year, Michael served as a strong pillar of encouragement for Davina during her recovery following the surgery to take out a harmless brain cyst called a colloid cyst.

In response to being asked about the possibility of a marriage continuing without sexual intimacy, Davina expressed her belief, based on conversations with numerous experts, that such a relationship could indeed persist.

In a mutually agreed, non-sexual partnership, issues may arise when one party desires intimacy but the other does not. Unfortunately, asking someone to forgo physical intimacy could lead them to feel unsatisfied, potentially leading them to seek fulfillment elsewhere, which won’t result in a successful relationship in the long run.

Davina shared with Good Housekeeping that maintaining some level of emotional closeness, rather than just physical, is crucial for a relationship’s health.

She added: ‘You can have beautiful intimacy together without the act of sex itself.

‘It’s okay to embrace each other without clothes, as long as it’s understood that it won’t escalate into sexual activity. Sometimes people might feel uncomfortable with naked embraces because they fear it could lead to sexual advances. This happens when there’s a misunderstanding or disconnect in intentions.’

As a lifestyle expert, I’d rephrase it this way: Post my brain surgery, I’ve been open about my struggles with memory issues, and my partner Michael has been equally honest with me. Recently, he confided that he’s found certain aspects of my behavior somewhat trying due to these memory problems.

After undergoing a brain operation, I’ve chosen transparency over discretion when it comes to discussing my memory challenges with Michael. In a moment of candor, he shared that he’s grown to find some of my actions mildly irritating due to these issues.

In November last year, the presenter of Long Lost Family had surgery to take out a harmless colloid cyst from her brain, which was discovered during a regular health screening while she was campaigning about menopause health issues.

As a devoted follower, I discovered that a unique form of tumor was found within, one that seldomly leads to immediate demise. Fortunately, I underwent a successful surgical procedure, a craniotomy, to excise this tumor from my being.

But a side effect was temporary short-term memory loss, which she said was ‘improving every day’. 

In April 2025, following a final MRI scan, she announced the brain tumour ‘is not coming back’.

Davina found herself in a truly scary experience, but she’s beyond thankful – and so very relieved – for making it through safely.

Michael stayed by her bed during her recovery process, and he used social media to share updates about her improvement with his followers.

Eagerly, given her reputation as a hard worker, Davina quickly sought the opportunity to return in front of the cameras as swiftly as she could.

After spending three months recovering, I found myself back on set for ITV’s captivating series, Long Lost Family. It felt like returning home, a sentiment I expressed as its familiarity wrapped around me once more.

In an interview with The Daily Mail, she shared, “Michael understood that this would benefit me, so he encouraged me to return. It was a frightening ordeal, yet Michael intuited it would bring me the most joy. Indeed, he was correct. I took a three-month leave, but that was all.

My perspective has shifted dramatically following the operation, transforming my outlook on life as a whole. Now, I find myself eager to seize every opportunity that comes my way. In fact, ideas that once seemed feasible only in the distant future now seem achievable within weeks or even days.

Davina and Michael met when he styled her hair during her stint on Big Brother. 

As they shared many similarities, their friendship endured until they discovered they held mutual romantic feelings towards one another.

Instead, she conveyed that while their health incident had drawn them closer, they’re currently taking their time before deciding to get married.

She added: ‘We’re in no rush,’ she smiles. ‘We’re really happy.’

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2025-09-06 13:49