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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Lifestyle
Lauren Morris

Davina McCall reveals severe memory loss after brain surgery and cancer battle

  • Television presenter Davina McCall has revealed she suffered severe memory loss resembling advanced Alzheimer's disease following surgery in 2024 to remove a benign 14mm colloid cyst from her brain.
  • McCall explained that the immediate aftermath of the operation left her unable to remember hospital staff names, forget visits from her husband within minutes, or focus on books and films for six months.
  • Her cognitive function began to return in October 2025 after she undertook singing lessons as a form of mental physiotherapy to help rebuild her memory.
  • During her recovery from brain surgery, McCall was also diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer, undergoing a successful lumpectomy and preventative radiotherapy treatment.
  • Having received the all-clear from doctors in April, the 58-year-old presenter has now returned to work on her podcast Begin Again and her judging role on The Masked Singer .

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