Davina McCall undergoing brain tumour operation

The benign brain tumour was found in a health check-up

Davina McCall has said she is to undergo brain surgery, after being diagnosed with a “very rare” tumour.

The TV presenter, 57, said the benign brain tumour, known as a colloid cyst, was found after she was offered a health check-up as part of her menopause advocacy work.

In a video on Instagram, she said: “I’m posting this. It will be Friday morning, and I’m doing it because a few months ago, I did a menopause talk for a company, and they offered me a health scan in return, which I thought I was going to ace, but it turned out I had a benign brain tumour called a colloid cyst, which is very rare, three in a million.

“And so I slightly put my head in the sand for a while, and then I saw quite a few neuro surgeons. I got lots of opinions, and I realised that I have to get it taken out.”

McCall described it as a “big” tumour, 14 mm wide, adding: “It needs to come out, because if it grows, it would be bad.”

She is having it removed through a craniotomy, a surgical procedure to temporarily remove part of the skull, and said she is in “good spirits”.

“I’m going to be in hospital for about nine days, and then I’m going to be going home, but I’m going to be off my phone for a while,” McCall said.

“But I don’t want you to worry about me. I’m doing that enough as it is.

“I am in a good space, and I have all the faith in the world in my surgeon and his team, and I am handing the reins over to him. He knows what he’s doing.”

According to the NHS, non-cancerous brain tumours are more common in people over the age of 50, and symptoms include headaches, blackouts, behavioural changes and loss of consciousness.

McCall’s partner, Michael Douglas, will keep fans updated on her condition, she said.

Published: 15/11/2024 by Radio NewsHub