Davina McCall has opened up about her upbringing, breaking down as she admitted to taking drugs with her late mum during a podcast show. The popular TV presenter says the first time was when she was 12-years-old, followed another, which involved cocaine, at the age of 15.
While emotionally recalling her childhood, the 55-year-old struggled to hold back tears as she spoke about her experiences on The Diary of a CEO podcast. Hosted by entrepreneur Steven Bartlett, 30, the show has seen many other famous faces take part and share their own life stories - including Louis Theroux, Jessie J, Maisie Williams and Molly Mae.
Davina went on to reveal how her mum, Florence Kock, left her in the care of her grandmother, Pippy McCall, who had shared custody with her dad, Andrew McCall. The TV star said that because her mum went to live in her native country, France, she only saw her during holidays there.
Often those holiday trips would be "quite crazy", Davina added. Recalling experiences she had with her "troubled" mum, who passed away in 2008, she tearfully admitted doing drugs with her and her older sister, Caroline Baday.
"Drugs at 12 with my mum. Smoking weed at 12... I did coke with my mum at 15. I did it with my sister at 14", she told podcast host Steven.
"Me and my mum only did drugs twice. I mean, I know that's twice times too many in my book, but I don't want to give this impression that she and I were taking tonnes of drugs together cause that would be a false impression".
She said life with her grandparents however was "safe" and "simple", and every time she returned to them after being with her mum, they would "reground" her. The former Big Brother presenter revealed the fears she had that people would stop her from seeing her mum if they found out what went on.
"I didn't care how mad she was, I still wanted to see her," she explained. Davina described her older sister, Caroline, as her "lifeline" and her "rock" during all those trips away to France. They remained close growing up and throughout adulthood.
But Caroline sadly passed away in 2012 from cancer, which Davina says it still the "worst thing that ever happened" to her. Before she died, Davina says they had so many talks and encouraged listeners to reach out to their loved ones before it's too late.
"The best seven weeks of my life with my sister were those last seven weeks of hers", she revealed. Calling upon viewers to spend time doing "what really matters" to them now, she stressed: "Don't wait for somebody to say you've got six weeks to live".
