‘Are you f***ing joking me?’ Davina McCall recalls rage over breast cancer diagnosis and ‘stamping her feet’ during tough conversations with partner Michael Douglas one year after brain tumour surgery

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Davina McCall has described feeling intensely angry during difficult conversations with her partner, Michael Douglas, after receiving her breast cancer diagnosis, saying she was ‘stamping her feet’ with frustration.

The popular TV personality, age 58, announced her cancer diagnosis on Friday. She recently had a biopsy, and thankfully, the cancer was successfully removed during a lumpectomy a few weeks ago.

I recently shared at a charity event that I was incredibly angry when I learned I had breast cancer. It felt especially unfair coming just one year after I’d undergone surgery for a brain tumor – it was a lot to process, and honestly, I allowed myself to feel that rage.

She remembered feeling incredibly furious. She explained that, normally, she’s a very calm person – she rarely gets angry. She described herself as generally cheerful and upbeat, comparing her personality to the energetic character Tigger.

‘I was like: ‘Are you f******g joking? What the f**k! Are you serious?’

I used to bottle everything up, and one day Michael noticed. He gently called me out, saying he could see I was holding back and refusing to deal with whatever was bothering me. He really wanted to talk, but I stubbornly insisted I was okay, even though I clearly wasn’t.

You know, people often ask how I really am, and sometimes we fall into that trap of automatically saying ‘I’m fine’ even when we’re absolutely not. I’ve definitely been there! It’s like a reflex. But honestly, it’s okay to admit when you’re struggling. I remember one time, someone pointed out I wasn’t okay, and my immediate reaction was to insist I was. But the truth was, I wasn’t, and that’s why I was so frustrated! It’s so much healthier to acknowledge your feelings, even the messy ones.

‘He just sat and he came and watched me and I was f*****g stamping my feet. And it felt so good.’   

Davina recently shared a heartfelt video explaining how a poster about breast cancer symptoms helped her avoid a potentially serious health outcome.

She discovered the lump while doing a self-check in the bathroom, prompted by posters she’d seen from Lorraine Kelly and her TV show.

Davina had spotted the signs inside ITV headquarters that encouraged women to ‘check their boobs’.

The poster shows women how to check their bodies for changes and encourages them to see a doctor or nurse right away if they find anything concerning.

The ad features a striking headline that immediately grabs your attention: ‘SAVE YOUR LIFE in the time it takes to get changed.’

Davina shared in a video that her cancer was detected at a very early stage. However, she will undergo five days of radiotherapy in January as a precaution to ensure it doesn’t return.

She explained that she had a biopsy which confirmed she had breast cancer. She had a lumpectomy to remove it almost three weeks ago.

Davina shared an update on her surgery, explaining that doctors have confirmed she’s fully recovered.

The former Big Brother host explained they found a small growth very early on, which they feel incredibly lucky about. They were very relieved to have it removed before it could spread.

She expressed her gratitude to the medical staff, her family, and her fiancé, Michael Douglas. She then shared that while she was initially furious upon learning her diagnosis, she’s now moved past that anger and feels much more optimistic.

Davina shared a message encouraging everyone to be familiar with their breasts, pay attention to any changes, and get regular checkups. She emphasized the importance of not delaying appointments and addressing any concerns, no matter how small. She sent her love and support to everyone.

The actress first shared her diagnosis at her charity event, Dine With Davina, which shocked everyone in attendance.

She explained that Lorraine Kelly had placed signs on every door reminding people to check their breasts, and she made a point of doing so every time she used the restroom.

It hadn’t gone away, and one morning when I looked in the mirror, I realized I needed to see a doctor about it.

After the announcement, fans and friends quickly filled the comments section with well wishes for the star.

Julia Bradbury, a breast cancer survivor herself, shared a message of support, writing ‘Sending the biggest hugs,’ while Amanda Holden expressed her care with ‘Sending you so much love’.

Penny Lancaster said: ‘You’re amazing xxxx’ and Gaby Logan added: ‘Sending you loads of love’.

In November 2024, Davina shared that doctors had found a colloid cyst, a rare and non-cancerous brain tumor.

After a difficult six-hour surgery to remove a 14mm cyst in her brain, she happily shared that she no longer had cancer.

Davina shared on the show Loose Women in September that the experience had deeply upset her, causing her to cry uncontrollably.

Davina said she wasn’t concerned about her health, but she’s been uncontrollably crying.

Oh my gosh, seeing her talk about it just destroyed me. She was trying so hard not to cry, you could just see the emotion welling up, and her voice… it was trembling so much. She even admitted she cries every time she tries to explain it, and honestly, it broke my heart all over again. It’s just… so raw and real.

I believe what happened was deeply traumatic, and the experience itself was very difficult. But surprisingly, I feel fantastic now – truly happy and grateful to be sharing this moment with you.

I’m finding happiness in simple things like waking up and enjoying my coffee. Despite feeling good and wanting to move on, I still find myself wanting to stop being sad.

In September it was revealed Davina was engaged to her partner Michael Douglas.

She and celebrity hairdresser Michael, 47, had been friends for years before starting to date. Their romantic relationship began after her divorce from Matthew Robertson was finalized in April 2018.

I was so thrilled when they first announced they were together back in 2018! It’s been wonderful watching their relationship grow, especially when Michael moved in with her earlier this year in January. Now, I’m absolutely delighted to hear they’re getting married – they’re such a lovely couple and I couldn’t be happier for them!

Let me tell you, keeping a big secret isn’t easy, but that’s exactly what I did when I got engaged! I really wanted to share the news with my closest family and friends first, so I managed to keep it completely under wraps – even from my colleagues at ITV. It was all about making sure the people I love most heard it directly from me.

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2025-11-09 13:49