Everything you need to know about TV presenting royalty Davina McCall MBE

She's been awarded an MBE!

Author: Alex RossPublished 15th Nov 2024
Last updated 15th Nov 2024

With her new dating show My Mum, Your Dad being loved by viewers when it aired in September 2023, TV presenter Davina McCall showed off her talents once more as she helped middle-aged singletons find love again, so it's no surprise series two was equally as good.

In January, Davina received an MBE for her services to broadcasting, and in September she was presented with the Special Recognition award at the NTAS. So here's everything you could possibly need to know about the 57-year-old, from who she is dating, her extensive TV career, and her all-important documentaries.

Who is Davina McCall?

Davina McCall MBE is one of the most well-known presenters in the world of TV here in the UK, known for fronting famous programmes such as Big Brother, Long Lost Family and her most recent venture, My Mum, Your Dad.

From reality shows to talent shows, and quiz shows to documentaries, Davina has all the talents to bring a programme to life, with the presenter being praised for her bubbly and caring personality during her career which has spanned over two decades.

Does she have an MBE?

She does! Davina was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2023 Birthday Honours for services to broadcasting.

On Wednesday 31st January, Davina received her MBE from Princess Anne at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace.

On receiving the MBE, Davina said: "The Princess Royal has always been one of my favourite royals because I think as a woman or as a young girl growing up and seeing her, she always seemed to be quite gung-ho and she rather shared my ethos in life it felt like.

"She is a very positive, no-nonsense woman and I really like her for that so I was thrilled when it was her. I always found her rather inspiring growing up so to be presented with an award by her was a real treat."

What is Davina McCall's real name?

Davina McCall is her real name! Davina's full name is actually Davina Lucy Pascale McCall.

How old is Davina McCall?

Davina was born on 16th October in 1967, meaning she is currently 57-years-old.

Where is Davina McCall from?

The TV host was born in Wimbledon, London to her parents, Andrew McCall and Florence Hennion. However, following the split of her parents, Davina moved to Surrey to live with her paternal grandparents at the age of three.

Davina now lives in a stunning £3.4million mansion in Kent with her boyfriend and three children, a home which she built from scratch.

Where did Davina McCall go to school?

Davina attended school in both Bramley and Hammersmith as a child. She went to St Catherine's School, and later Latymer Girls School.

Does Davina McCall have a brain tumour?

On Friday 15th November, Davina released a video on social media where she announced she was to undergo surgery to remove a rare type of benign tumour called a colloid cyst.

In the video, which was uploaded by her boyfriend Michael, Davina told fans: "A few months ago, I did a menopause talk for a company and they offered me a health scan in return, which I thought I was going to ace.

"But it turned out I had a benign brain tumour called a colloid cyst, which is very rare - three in a million.

"And so I slightly put my head in the sand for a while, and then I saw quite a few neurosurgeons. I got lots of opinions, and I realised that I have to get it taken out.

"It's big for the space. It fills the space. It's 14mm wide, and it needs to come out because if it grows, it would be bad. So I'm having it removed via a craniotomy.

"Get the cyst, empty it, take it out, Bob's your uncle."

Michael captioned the video, writing: 'Hey everyone. Michael here. @davinamccall will be “off grid” for a bit while she recovers from this brain operation. She is in great shape and in very good hands. I’ll I do the odd update from her account here for anyone interested. I’m sure she’ll read all the comments when she’s able to so feel free to send love ❤️ . The support of people is amazingly powerful. Have a great day everyone. Michael xxx'. (sic)

What is Davina McCall's dating show?

Rumours were rife in 2023 that ITV were set to launch a brand new 'middle-aged Love Island' show, which features older singletons looking for love. After months of whispers, bosses confirmed the show, which is now called My Mum, Your Dad, would air on ITV in the Autumn, with Davina McCall announced as host!

Davina took to Instagram to enthuse over the 'amazing new dating programme' in March, saying: 'Omg.. i manifested and it came true !! I’ll be hosting a brand NEW grown up dating series for ITV1 !!

'❤️ This is a show for single parents who have lived a life , have stories to tell about their dating pasts and deserve another chance at love and I’m gonna help you ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ It will all take place in the most romantic countryside location !! 🎉🥰💥 🙌🏻🙌🏻 We are still casting so if u want my help finding love and u have a child who is over 18 , what are you waiting for ??? ( particularly u eligible men .. where are you ?! 👀)'. (sic)

Davina's new show My Mum, Your Dad launched on Monday 11th September 2023, with the final episode airing on Friday 22nd September 2023. Find out more right here.

In October 2023, bosses confirmed the show has been renewed for a second series, with series two airing between Monday 16th September 2024 and Friday 27th September 2024.

What did Davina win at the NTAs?

On Wednesday 11th September, Davina was left shocked to learn she'd been awarded with the prestigious Special Recognition award at the 2024 National Television Awards.

Hannah Waddingham presented the award, with Davina leaving the audience and viewers at home in tears with her acceptance speech.

She said: "Thank you so much, this means so much. I can't even begin to tell you, I don't even know where to start. I love my job, I feel so privileged to be able to share it with you. You might like some of it, not all of it. I've presented some Turkeys, I know!"

Who is Davina McCall's boyfriend?

Davina is currently in a relationship with celebrity hairdresser Michael Douglas.

Although Michael first started doing Davina's hair when she presenter Big Brother, the pair didn't start dating until 2019, having years of friendship prior to their romantic relationship.

Michael is a hugely-established 'hair expert' in the world of showbiz, with the 48-year-old having clients such as Kate Moss and Johnny Depp.

Michael has appeared on a number of TV shows over the years, giving hair tips on the likes of Good Morning Britain, This Morning and The One Show, and in 2023, the pair appeared together on series five of Celebrity Gogglebox.

Davina has previously confessed the pair have an agreement in place to not publicly discuss their relationship.

Speaking to OK! Magazine in 2022, she said: "We’ve got an agreement that I don’t talk about our relationship, because our exes and kids don’t have a right to reply, so it’s not fair."

Michael has two sons with his ex-wife Tracey Douglas.

Whilst picking up her Special Recognition award at the 2024 NTAs, Davina paid tribute to Michael, who was sat in the audience, admitting he's made her a 'better person'.

Is Davina McCall married?

Davina is not currently married, but she has been married twice previously.

In 1997 Davina married Andrew Leggett, with the pair divorcing two years later in 1999.

Davina then married her second husband, TV presenter Matthew Robertson in 2000, with the pair announcing their divorce in 2017.

Does Davina McCall have children?

She does! Davina is a proud mum to three children, 21-year-old Holly, 19-year-old Tilly, and 16-year-old Chester, whom she shares with her ex-husband Matthew Robertson.

Davina chooses to keep her children out of the spotlight, but they do live with her and her boyfriend Michael at their home in Kent.

Who has Davina McCall dated in the past?

As well as relationships with ex-husbands Andrew Leggett and Matthew Robertson, Davina also dated rock legend Eric Clapton in 1985, as well as Enrico Silvestrin and Stan Collymore.

How did Davina McCall get famous?

Davina started her TV career presenting in 1994 on MTV Europe, before moving on to Hitlist UK the year after.

In 1998, Davina moved on to front dating show Streetmate, before getting her big break by landing the role of hosting then-contemporary Channel 4 reality show, Big Brother.

What TV shows has Davina McCall been on?

Davina has appeared on a wide range of TV shows over the years, from quiz shows, reality shows and hard-hitting documentaries.

1994-1995: MTV Europe, Hitlist UK and God's Gift

After deciding a career in singing wasn't for her, a young Davina had a few casual jobs, before landing her very first presenting role! In 1994, Davina presented Ray Cokes' Most Wanted on MTV Europe, before moving on to Hitlist UK.

In 1995, Davina presented the first series British dating show God's Gift on ITV, before she was replaced by Claudia Winkleman for series two.

1998-2001: Streetmate

Davina landed the role to host Channel 4 dating show Streetmate in 1998, where she helped the British public find love by matching them on the street. Davina hosted the popular show between 30th October 1998 to 9th March 2001.

1998-2001: Don't Try This At Home

At the same time as working on Streetmate, Davina was also announced as one of four hosts on Saturday night ITV series Don't Try This At Home. The show, which featured real people facing tough challenges they couldn't do in every day life, was presented by Davina and Darren Day, Kate Thornton and Paul Hendy.

Don't Try This At Home had four series in total, airing on ITV between 1998 and 2001.

2001: Sam's Game

Airing on ITV between May-June in 2021, Davina starred in a sitcom called Sam's Game alongside comedian Ed Byrne, playing the role of main character Sam. The show, which was made up of six episodes, was cancelled after just one series.

2001-2002: Oblivious and The Vault

Davina continued to present shows in the UK, landing the presenting role on hidden camera comedy game show called Oblivious in 2001. One year later in 2002, Davina presented British game show called The Vault, which also aired on ITV. Davina presented the first series of the show, before Melanie Sykes took over in 2003.

2000-2010: Big Brother and Celebrity Big Brother

Perhaps Davina's biggest presenting role in the early noughties arrived with Channel 4 reality show Big Brother. The coming of age show, which saw civilians enter a house as part of a social experiment, was a huge success, with Davina going on to present for a massive 10 series between 2000-2010.

Alongside the main show, Davina also hosted spin-off series Celebrity Big Brother, which proved even more popular with viewers!

However, due to eventual low viewing figures, Channel 4 decided to axe Big Brother after the 11th series in 2010. Although it was later picked up by Channel 5, Davina felt the time was right to leave the show behind.

2000 and 2003: The BRIT Awards

Davina was chosen to be the sole presenter of The BRIT Awards in 2000, taking over from previous presenters including Chris Evans, Ben Elton and Johnny Vaughan. Davina then returned to host the prestigious music awards once again in 2003, gaining huge praise from both viewers and critics.

2002: Popstars: The Rivals

After hosting the Popstars finale in 2001, Davina landed the role of main presenter for spin-off show Popstars: The Rivals in 2002, which kick-started the career of girl band Girls Aloud. Whilst Davina hosted the show, Louis Walsh, Pete Waterman and Geri Halliwell sat on the judging panel.

2003: Stars In Their Eyes and Reborn in the USA

In 2003, Davina stood-in for Matthew Kelly for three episodes of hit Saturday night entertainment show Stars In Their Eyes. Later in the year, she was also announced as host for new ITV series Reborn in the USA, a show which saw 10 British pop stars move to America to attempt to revitalise their music career. After eight episodes in series one, no further series were commissioned.

2004 and 2006: BAFTA TV Awards

Davina was given the prestigious role of hosting the British Academy Television Awards in both 2004 and 2006, thanks to her successful TV career in the early noughties.

2005-2015: Comic Relief

For a massive 10 years between 2005 and 2015, Davina was a huge ambassador for charity Comic Relief, co-hosting the annual show on the BBC alongside the likes of Lenny Henry, Dermot O'Leary, James Corden and Russell Brand. Davina also took part in a number of activities and challenges in order to raise money for Red Nose Day.

2006-2018: Sport Relief

As well as Comic Relief, Davina also worked closely with spin-off charity event Sport Relief for a huge number of years, presenting the main fundraising show between 2006 and 2018, as well as taking part in challenges to raise money.

2006: Davina

Davina landed her very own BBC chat show in 2006, named Davina. The show aired on BBC One with a number of huge guests including Vernon Kay, Pierce Brosnan, Gordon Ramsay, Katie Price, Dawn French, Lulu and Piers Morgan.

However, the show turned out to be one of Davina's most unsuccessful shows in her career, with bosses deciding to cancel it after just one series due to poor viewing figures.

2008: Dead Set

Turning her hand to acting, Davina played a fictionalised zombie version of herself as Big Brother host in Charlie Brooker's mini-series Dead Set in 2008. The E4 show had five episodes in total, where Davina was joined on set by the likes of Jaime Winstone and Riz Ahmed.

2008-2010: Big Brother's Big Mouth

As well as hosting the main series of both Big Brother and Celebrity Big Brother, Davina also presented spin-off show Big Mouth between 2008-2010, taking over from BB super fan Russell Brand. Davina hosted three series of the show, before it moved to Channel 5 with the new name of Big Brother's Bit on the Side.

2010-2014: Got To Dance

Following her departure from Big Brother, Davina made the choice to move over to Sky One in 2010, fronting talent show Got To Dance. Davina hosted the show for five series between 2010 and 2014, with Ashley Banjo, Adam Garcia and Kimberly Wyatt sitting on the judging panel.

2010-2015: The Million Pound Drop

Davina returned to quiz shows in 2010, fronting Channel 4's The Million Pound Drop between 2010-2015, a live show which gave contestants the chance of winning a huge £1 million pound. After five years, the show went on a hiatus, later returning in 2018 called The £100K Drop.

After three series of the new format with Davina, the show was axed in December 2019.

2011-2012: The Biggest Loser

Putting her love of health and fitness to good use, Davina joined the British adaptation of popular American series The Biggest Loser in 2011, where she hosted the fourth and fifth series on ITV.

2011-Present: Long Lost Family

One of Davina's longest standing shows is popular ITV series Long Lost Family, which she has presented alongside Nicky Campbell since it first started in 2011. The heartwarming series see Davina and Nicky attempting to reunite close relatives after years of separation. To date, the show has 12 series, with more still to come!

2012–2016 and 2021: Stand Up To Cancer

After losing her sister to cancer in 2012, Davina signed up to be an ambassador for Stand Up To Cancer, hosting the annual fundraising show on Channel 4 between 2012-2016, and later returning in 2021.

2014–2017: The Jump

In 2014, Davina joined Channel 4 show The Jump as a presenter, as a bunch of celebs tried to master Winter sports such as skeleton, bobsleigh, and giant slalom. Although Davina was joined by co-host Alex Brooker for the first series, she went on to host the other three alone, before the dare-devil show was axed after four series and a lot of injuries!

2015-2019: One Hundred and Eighty, Make My Body Better and This Time Next Year

As well as presenting series one of darts game show One Hundred and Eighty with Freddie Flintoff on Sky One, Davina also fronted documentary Make My Body Better on Channel 4, an informative health series which followed personal stories of determination, transformation and triumph.

Between 2016-2018, Davina presented three series of ITV show This Time Next Year, a show which saw contestants participants make a pledge to attain a personal life goal that they could achieve in 12 months. Following series three in 2019, no further series were commissioned.

2017, 2018 and 2020: This Morning

Due to her popularity, Davina has stepped in as a guest-host on popular ITV Daytime show This Morning a number of times over the years. Hosting alongside the likes of Rochelle Humes, Holly Willoughby, and former host Phillip Schofield, many viewers begged bosses to keep her as a permanent host.

2021: Comic Relief

As well as taking part in a number of challenges over the years for both Comic Relief and Sport Relief, Davina returned to co-present the main show in 2021, alongside Jason Manford and Amanda Holden.

2020-Present: The Masked Singer and The Masked Dancer

Davina joined the judging panel for ITV's bonkers show The Masked Singer in 2020, alongside Jonathan Ross, Rita Ora and Ken Jeong. The first series was a huge success during lockdown and it's since gone on to achieve five series.

In addition to The Masked Singer, Davina is also a panel regular on spin-off series The Masked Dancer, which has so far had two series. It's now been confirmed that Davina will be on the panel alongside Mo, Jonathan, and new panellist Maya Jama in 2025.

2021: Davina McCall: Sex, Myths and the Menopause

In May 2021, Davina teamed up with Channel 4 to release a documentary in an attempt to raise awareness about the menopause and challenge the national reluctance to discuss the topic. Within the documentary, Davina describes her own menopause journey, busting the myths surrounding the transition, and dispelling the shame and fear around hormone replacement therapy.

2022: Davina McCall: Sex, Mind and the Menopause

Davina returned one year later with another documentary, this time called Davina McCall: Sex, Mind and the Menopause. The second instalment showed Davina exploring how menopause can affect the mind as well as the body, with memory loss and brain fog decimating women at work. The doc also showed Davina updating viewers on the latest hormone therapy and testosterone for women.

Taking into consideration her own experiences with the menopause, Davina said of the documentaries: "I don't think I've ever worked on a project that has affected me so deeply"

2023: Davina McCall's Pill Revolution

Davina returned with a third documentary in 2023, called Davina McCall's Pill Revolution, using both her own experience and the experience of her two daughters, who have both used the pill. The powerful one-hour special was praised by both viewers and professionals, as it explores the effects the contraceptive pill can have on the body and mind.

2023: Celebrity Gogglebox

In the Summer of 2023, Davina and her partner Michael Douglas joined the fifth series of hit Channel 4 show Celebrity Gogglebox, expressing their opinions on some of the biggest TV shows around.

2023-Present: My Mum, Your Dad

After Davina manifested an idea of a 'middle-aged Love Island', in 2023 ITV commissioned a show called My Mum, Your Dad, which saw grown-up children nominate their single parents in an attempt to find them love. Filmed in a luxury retreat, the show started on Monday 11th September, running for two weeks, and fans loved it!

In October 2023, it was announced the show had been commissioned for a second series, with it airing for two weeks in September.

2024: Born From The Same Stranger

In January 2024 it was announced that Davina would narrate ITV's new four-part series Born From The Same Stranger. The series, which started on 22nd January, helped people as they seeked their genetic donors.

Can Davina McCall sing?

Believe it or not, before becoming one of the nation's biggest TV presenters, Davina was actually a singer! During school time, Davina was in a band called Lazy Bear, before she moved on to a career as a classical solo artist.

However, after things weren't working out in the music industry, she decided to pursue other things.

What other jobs has Davina had?

Before her career in the spotlight took off, Davina had a number of jobs which included a model, a waitress, a nightclub hostess, and a cabaret performer.

How to watch Davina McCall's menopause documentary?

In recent years, Davina has been open and vocal about the menopause, taking part and producing a number of documentaries in order to help both men and women understand it more.

In 2021, she released: Davina McCall: Sex, Myths and the Menopause

In 2022, she released: Davina McCall: Sex, Mind and the Menopause

In 2023, she released: Davina McCall's Pill Revolution

All three documentaries are available to watch on Channel 4's on-demand service 4oD.

Is Davina McCall returning to Big Brother?

Despite many fans calling for Davina to return to Big Brother for the ITV reboot, it was later announced that both AJ Odudu and Will Best would front the rebooted series.

Speaking ahead of the host announcement at the end of 2022, Davina told This Morning: "I'm excited to see it, on ITV2 it will be a bit edgy, they're going back to basics which is good. I can't wait to see what they do with the casting.

"I can't believe we still don't know who the presenter is. My heart is with that show but it's not me."

Speaking to Grazia in August 2023, AJ shared the reassuring advice that former Big Brother host Davina gave her as she prepares for the role. AJ said: "The Queen herself has given me her blessing. She sent me an amazing video when I got the gig saying, 'you are going to smash it.'"

Is Davina McCall on Gogglebox?

Davina appeared on the fifth series of Celebrity Gogglebox in 2023, giving her opinion on the biggest TV shows alongside her boyfriend Michael Douglas. It hasn't yet been revealed if Davina will return for the sixth series.

Does Davina McCall have an MBE?

She does! Davina was appointed with an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) during the 2023 Birthday Honours list, for her service to broadcasting.

Can Davina McCall speak French?

It's understood Davina is fluent in the French language, due to her mum being French.

What is Davina McCall's workout schedule?

Davina a huge fan of keeping fit and working out, often sharing her workouts with fans on social media. Over the years, the mum-of-three has also released 15 workout and keep fit DVDs, as well as a number of fitness books.

Davina is a keen runner, as well as taking part in HIIT workouts, boxing, spinning and yoga sessions.

Davina often uploads her workouts to her YouTube page.

What football team does Davina McCall support?

Davina is an Arsenal fan! She often tweets during the games.

Is Davina McCall on social media?

Davina is very active on social media, keeping her fans up to date with daily life, top tips, and of course, things she has going on in her career. Her most followed platform is currently Twitter.