Health · Medical Research · 2 hrs ago
Davina McCall describes severe memory loss after brain tumour surgery
Davina McCall says surgery to remove a benign brain tumour in 2024 was followed by severe memory problems.
The British television presenter described forgetting that she had undergone surgery and not recognising staff or remembering visits from her husband, Michael Douglas.
She said the problems also made it hard to follow films or books.
McCall called 2025 the hardest year for her and Douglas.
She used the phrase “advanced Alzheimer's” to describe how severe the memory loss felt; the accounts do not say she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.
She said music and singing lessons helped her recovery.
McCall said she first woke up remembering the previous day in October.
She has also said she had treatment for breast cancer, but the accounts give no further update on that treatment.
Davina McCall said she experienced severe memory loss after surgery to remove a benign brain tumour in 2024.
She described the symptoms as “advanced Alzheimer's” and said she could not remember having the operation or visits from her husband, Michael Douglas.
McCall said 2025 was the hardest year for her and Douglas.
She said music and singing lessons helped her recovery, and that she first remembered the previous day when she woke up last October.
She shared these details while speaking with Paloma Faith on the Mad Sad Bad podcast.
- Who
- Davina McCall, a television presenter, described her recovery; her husband is Michael Douglas.
- What
- She said she experienced severe memory problems after surgery to remove a benign brain tumour.
- When
- The operation was in 2024. She discussed the memory problems on a podcast in October 2026.
- Where
- Not stated
- Why
- The memory problems followed surgery to remove a benign brain tumour, identified as a colloid cyst.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
McCall was diagnosed with a benign brain tumour and later had an operation to remove it.
McCall said she had severe memory problems, including not remembering the surgery or visits from her husband.
McCall described the year as the hardest for herself and Michael Douglas.
McCall said she woke up and remembered what she had done the previous day.
McCall discussed her recovery on the Mad Sad Bad podcast with Paloma Faith.
- Tumour
- Benign colloid cyst
- Diagnosis and operation
- 2024
- Recovery period
- McCall called 2025 the hardest year for her and Michael Douglas
- Memory improvement
- Last October, she said she remembered the previous day
- Podcast host
- Paloma Faith
What people are saying
After I'd had my brain tumour taken out, I had advanced Alzheimer's, so I couldn't remember anything
When I came out of the operation, I didn't know I'd had an operation.
I did singing lessons. Music. That was my mind physio.
Music was what healed me.
Sources
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