Davina McCall says she had 'advanced Alzheimer's' symptoms after brain surgery

Davina McCall says she had 'advanced Alzheimer's' symptoms after brain surgery

Television presenter Davina McCall has disclosed that she experienced memory loss symptoms akin to those observed in "advanced Alzheimer's" following her brain surgery.

In a conversation on Paloma Faith's podcast, Mad, Sad and Bad, the 58-year-old recounted her struggles with memory while recuperating from a procedure to remove a benign brain tumor in 2024.

"After I had my brain tumor taken out, I had advanced Alzheimer's, so I couldn't remember anything," McCall shared with Faith, who is also known for her role on Celebrity Traitors.

Reflecting on her post-operative state, she recounted, "When I came out of the operation, I didn't even know I'd had one." She highlighted a staff member who would regularly ask if she remembered their name, to which she responded, "I don't know."

The surgery, which took place in November 2024, was conducted after a colloid cyst was discovered during a health check associated with her advocacy work on menopause.

In November of the previous year, she revealed that she had also undergone surgery for breast cancer, describing 2025 as the "hardest year" for both herself and her partner.

Recovery and challenges

Discussing her recovery from brain surgery, she stated, "Michael would come and visit [the hospital] for two hours, and he'd go to the loo and come back, and I'd go, 'Oh my God, you're here', and I didn't know he'd been there."

She also mentioned, "I couldn't watch a movie for six months because I couldn't remember what had happened in the movie 15 minutes before. [When reading] a book I couldn't remember the page before."

She noted that a year after the surgery, she experienced a significant moment when she woke up and could recall what she had done the previous day.

Understanding post-surgery memory loss

The NHS indicates that later-stage symptoms of Alzheimer's disease encompass "significant problems with short and long-term memory." Alzheimer’s is a progressive condition where symptoms typically worsen over time.

However, following brain surgery, memory issues are generally most pronounced shortly after the operation, then stabilize and gradually improve over the ensuing weeks to months, with some individuals experiencing milder, lasting changes.

McCall emphasized the importance of music therapy in her recovery, expressing her belief that singing lessons ultimately contributed to her healing process. In April 2025, she announced that follow-up MRI scans indicated her tumor was "not coming back."

About benign brain tumours

A benign tumor is non-cancerous, yet such cysts are known to grow slowly, as per the Brainstrust charity's insights.

Non-cancerous brain tumors are more prevalent in individuals over the age of 50, with symptoms that may include headaches, vision impairments, and drowsiness, according to the NHS.

McCall's procedure, identified as a craniotomy, involved the removal of part of her skull to excise the tumor. She has openly discussed the surgery and her recovery on various platforms, including her podcast titled Begin Again.