Television presenter Davina McCall has revealed comedian Peter Kay privately supported her following her brain tumour diagnosis and subsequent breast cancer battle.
The 58-year-old broadcaster disclosed the unlikely friendship while receiving the Outstanding Achievement Award at the Edinburgh TV Festival, explaining how the 53-year-old comic reached out while she was in hospital.
McCall underwent surgery in 2024 to remove a rare, benign brain tumour before being diagnosed with breast cancer the following year. Despite not being friends prior to her health scares, Kay called her unexpectedly during her hospital stay to offer assistance.
Speaking about the comedian's unexpected support, McCall 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."
Support During Breast Cancer Diagnosis
McCall revealed that Kay remained by her side after she received her breast cancer diagnosis, guiding her through her options and encouraging her to speak out.
Recalling their conversations, McCall 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.'"
Alongside Kay's support, McCall reflected on how her husband, Michael Douglas, served as a vital pillar of strength throughout her recovery. She explained that while the brain tumour had initially distanced them due to her short-term memory loss, her cancer diagnosis ultimately brought them closer together.
"At the end of brain-tumour-gate, cancer brought us together," McCall said. "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."
She added: "I was almost grateful for that experience, and I caught it early so I did make a full recovery but there was something about it that we needed." The couple married in December at Marylebone Town Hall in central London with only close friends and family present, just weeks after McCall publicly revealed her breast cancer diagnosis and underwent surgery to remove a lump.
Career Step Back and Lifestyle Overhaul
The star had detected the breast cancer early after noticing a lump, leading to a successful lumpectomy. She recently confirmed completing her course of preventative radiotherapy and became emotional as the treatment ended. While she is not retiring, the Masked Singer judge confirmed she is stepping back from full-time work after facing two major health scares in rapid succession.
Speaking candidly on the Miss Me? podcast, McCall admitted the health crises forced her to confront a lifetime of overworking and avoiding change. She noted that while her brain tumour prompted initial thoughts about stress reduction, the subsequent cancer diagnosis made the lifestyle change essential.
"I had an amazing breakthrough when I got clean in the early nineties," McCall said, referring to her battle with heroin and alcohol addiction in her twenties. "I had another huge breakthrough after I had my brain tumour removed. I realised that I needed to de-stress my life. Interestingly, I realised that - but then the breast cancer, which I thought was a very, very frightening thing, made me realise that I really, really had to put that into place. And I have now."
McCall is one of British television's most recognizable personalities, having hosted flagship shows including Big Brother and Long Lost Family. Kay is one of the United Kingdom's most successful stand-up comedians and creators of acclaimed comedy series such as Phoenix Nights and Peter Kay's Car Share.
