Published: 19:30 BST, 27 August 2026 | Updated: 00:01 BST, 28 August 2026
Davina McCall has revealed how she was privately supported by comedian Peter Kay after being diagnosed with a brain tumour and breast cancer.
The TV presenter, 58, had surgery to remove the benign (non-cancerous) tumour in 2024, before being diagnosed with breast cancer the following year.
As Davina battled the double bout of bad news, she revealed she found an unlikely champion in Peter, who she was not friends with prior to her illnesses.
While in hospital undergoing treatment on the brain tumour, she told how she received an unexpected phone call from Peter, 53, to offer his help.
Davina said: 'Do you know who really helped me, actually, and it was really strange. Peter Kay. He called me when I was in hospital with my brain tumour.
'I really don't know him that well but he was unbelievably supportive.'
Davina McCall has revealed how she was privately supported by comedian Peter Kay after being diagnosed with a brain tumour and breast cancer
Davina pictured with Peter Kay (right) in 2005 (centre Paul McCartney)
Davina continued by revealing that he stayed by her side after receiving the news about her breast cancer, and said: 'When I had my breast cancer diagnosis he just talked me through what to do.
'He said: "What do you want to do? How do you feel about it?" And he said: "I think you know what you want to do". And I was like: "Yeah I want to talk about it.''
Davina, who spoke about her friendship with Peter while receiving the Outstanding Achievement Award at the Edinburgh TV Festival, also reflected on how her husband Michael Douglas was also a pillar of strength at that time.
Davina explained how the breast cancer 'brought them back together', because the brain tumour had pushed them apart due to the loss of her short term memory.
She said: 'At the end of brain-tumour-gate, cancer brought us together. The tumour pushed us apart because I had no short term memory – I was over here trying to get better and he was over worrying if I was ever going to come back.
'But cancer smushed us back together in such a weird way, it was just a beautiful way for us to just reconnect and rebond.
