Russell Watson has sent his support to Davina McCall as he opened up about his “tough” recovery from two brain tumour surgeries.
TV presenter McCall, 57, underwent surgery last week after being diagnosed with a “very rare” benign brain tumour, known as a colloid cyst.
Following the operation, her partner Michael Douglas said she was recovering in intensive care as a precaution and was feeling “utterly exhausted” but the doctor described the surgery as being “textbook”.
Appearing on ITV’s Good Morning Britain on Thursday, Watson, 57, said: “Davina, I’ve worked with on lots of occasions, she’s one of the loveliest people, type of person that enters a room and lights it up.
“And all I can say is I just wish her the very, very best, because the operation is one thing but the recovery from that type of operation, in particular, which is intercranial, I believe, it’ll be a long recovery. So I just send my love.”
In a video posted to Instagram ahead of her surgery, McCall said she was getting the tumour removed through a craniotomy, a surgical procedure to remove temporarily part of the skull.
The Tenor underwent his own tumour-removal surgeries in 2006 and 2007, one which went through his nose and a secondary operation through the back of the lip after he had a haemorrhage in his sleep because of the tumour growing back again.
He said it was a “tough time”, revealing it took him around two years to become rehabilitated as well as having to work through post traumatic stress from the second incident.
Reflecting on McCall’s operation, the classical singer said: “She seemed quite pragmatic about it, which is good, because she has a positive attitude towards everything. And long may that continue.”
Watson said the experience taught him to “never take anything for granted again” and that the relationship with his daughters and partner “blossomed” afterwards.
“I think when you become aware of your own mortality as well, the experiences that you have in life become more heightened,” he said.
“When I see my kids now or my wife with a smile on my face, I got a little tear in the corner of my eye because I appreciate it so much more than ever.
“As humans, we are mortal, one day we won’t be here, and it’s a sobering thought, and that’s why I like to make the most of every day that comes by, I want to live life.”
The singer, who has performed for the royal family and at major events on many occasions, will celebrate a quarter of a century since the release of his acclaimed debut album, The Voice, next year.
To mark the milestone he is going on the road in 2025, with The Evolution Tour, with performances and dates across October and November.
He said: “When I walk on stage now and sing it’s a wonderful feeling because there was a period of time where I didn’t think that I was going to be able to sing the way I did before and I was told by the specialist, it’s unlikely you’ll ever go back to singing like that again.”
