Davina McCall: When I look in the mirror, I think “Oh, hello you!”
When we met up with Davina McCall a few short weeks ago, there was no sign that the TV presenter was anything but her usual ebullient self. Playful on camera for a ZOE nutrition app photoshoot and full of smiles when we sat down to chat, nobody would have guessed the Masked Singer star was facing a gruelling operation to remove a benign brain tumour.
It was all very much business as usual, and if her hairdresser boyfriend Michael Douglas hugged her even more tightly than usual, it was as he spoke proudly of her receiving the National Television Award for Special Recognition just days earlier.
Thankfully, the operation – which took place last month – was “textbook”, and Davina has already returned to the public stage at a Brain Tumour Research campaign event, appearing alongside the neurosurgeon who performed her surgery. That night, there were tears, soul-baring emotion and huge hugs; in fact, everything you’d expect from Britain’s warmest, most touchy-feely presenter.
It’s a way of being that simply comes naturally to Davina. “I’ve just done the ‘love languages’ test – which is all about how you receive and give love – and my love language is touch,” she told GH. “It’s no surprise there, right? The amount of hugging I do!”
This finding is going to solve one problem for anyone buying for Davina this Christmas. “I found I don’t score highly on [traditional] gifting, but what I love is sharing experiences: gigs, comedy shows, art exhibitions. So I’d love getting those. Or if my son wrote me a card and said: ‘I’ll give you a one-minute hug every Saturday for the next year,’ that would be the greatest gift of all. I don’t need a thing. I need love.”
We have no doubt Davina will receive everything she needs and deserves this year. Here’s what she told us when we settled down to talk all things beauty, wellbeing and nutrition.
I grew up a real tomboy. I wore boys’ clothes – even swimming trunks. I only started wearing makeup every day at 45, when I realised that a bit of mascara and lipstick makes a massive difference. Unless I’m on holiday, it’s vital to my being. My latest favourites are Ilia Lip Sketch Hydrating Crayon, and Hourglass Unlocked Instant Extensions Mascara.
Lip Sketch Hydrating Lip Crayon
Unlocked Instant Extensions Mascara
If I spend more than 10 minutes putting my makeup on, I’m so bored. I love anything easy. Estée Lauder DayWear Multi-Protection Anti-Oxidant Sheer Tint Release Moisturizer SPF15 blends in no matter what colour my skin is and gives a lovely glow.
Multi-Protection Anti-Oxidant Sheer Tint Release Moisturiser SPF 15
I’m also obsessed with Victoria Beckham beauty. I love her Satin Kajal Liners, plus her Lid Lustre Shimmering Eyeshadow Pots. If I’m going out, I just dab my finger in those and it looks great.
Satin Kajal Eyeliner
£32.00 at victoriabeckhambeauty.com
People say: “You’re so lucky having a hairdresser boyfriend”, but I’d never ask Michael to do my hair when we’re at home. It would be so insulting to him if he came home from work and I went: “Can you do my hair?” He made his mdLondon Wave [heated barrel styler] for me so I can do my own styling. I’m not skilled at all and it’s amazing: it smooths, it waves, it flicks. I’m channelling Jacqueline Bisset right now.
I do take a bit more care of my skin as I’ve got older. I was very “soap and water” for many years, and I do now value the importance of a regime. Obviously, I wear heavier makeup for work and I do have to take that off with a bit of respect. Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water has changed my life, and I feel better about the environment now I’m using [Garnier’s] reusable pads. I also really like Garnier Vitamin C Brightening Serum.
Micellar Cleansing Water + Make up Remover Eco Pads
I had Botox in my 40s and I felt dead behind the eyes. I thought: “There’s something weird going on in my face. My eyes can’t smile any more and that’s not good.” I do feel like I need my facial expressions when presenting on shows like Long Lost Family. But I have absolutely no judgement on tweakments. I love the lines from smiling, but I get two vertical frown furrows, so about five months ago I had those done. I quite like not having those.
Fragrance is really important to me. Escentric Molecules Molecule 01 is my absolute go-to. I can’t smell it on myself but I can’t tell you how many people say to me: “Oh, God, what perfume are you wearing? You smell amazing.”
Escentric Molecules 01
Kate Winslet is one of my beauty icons. She just looks glowing. Emma Thompson, same. And Helen Mirren, always saucy. There’s something deliciously naughty about her.
One of the greatest things I’ve ever done is microblading. It’s made me feel a bit younger again, because I’d plucked my brows quite severely in the 1980s and couldn’t get them back. I went to Tracie Giles in London and now they look thick again – but it’s not hair, it’s just a tattoo.
Turning 50 changed my attitude to my health. [Davina is now 57.] My sister died at 50, my dad had Alzheimer’s, my granny had vascular dementia, and it made me think: “Look, if I’m going to give myself the best chance at life, I can’t f*** about any more.”
I found the ZOE app on the internet, and just learning about how I process fat and sugar and how I can keep my inflammation down has made such a difference to how I feel. I’m working with my body, not against it. To me, reducing inflammation seems the key to my future health, and I’m really bossing it at that now.
My body shape is 80% food and 20% exercise. In my 20s, I could just up my exercise, but as I’ve got older, I’ve realised the importance of food for my metabolism, my energy, my pooing. I used to spend my life constantly constipated, and I’m not any more. Eating more fibre and less refined sugar has made an enormous difference – I’m almost not having to think about weight. For me, exercise is more about longevity than anything.
The best thing about this life stage is the sense of freedom I feel. When I was younger, it was like: “When are you going to get married, when are you going to have babies?” Now I feel like: “I’ll do what I want, when the f*** I want” and not feel guilty about it.
When I look in the mirror now, I think: “Oh, hello, you!” I always give myself a pat on the back, because I spent the first 30 years of my life being so super-critical. I look back and I think: “What were you doing to yourself?” I looked absolutely banging! Now, I’m so much kinder to myself, warts and all. There’s a self-acceptance that comes with age. I have sagging skin but I won’t say: “I hate my body. I look awful.” I don’t do that to myself any more and that’s a really good feeling.
Davina is an ambassador for ZOE, a company offering science-backed, personalised advice on nutrition. Membership costs from £25 a month; visit zoe.com
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