Davina McCall says singing lessons 'saved' her during rare brain tumour battle

Davina McCall says singing lessons she took while working on The Masked Singer helped her cope during treatment for a rare brain tumour, the presenter said Saturday.

The 57-year-old told The Mirror at the National Television Awards that the vocal coaching she received as part of the reality show "saved her" and acted as a form of therapy while she faced surgery to remove a colloid cyst. Doctors discovered the lesion after a health check last year; surgeons removed the cyst in November 2024 and a "final MRI" in April showed the cyst was "not coming back," she said.

McCall, who was a judge and finished second as "Star" on The Masked Singer 2024 Christmas special, said the lessons gave her something positive to focus on during a frightening period. "You know what? Being a part of The Masked Singer during that time actually healed a huge part of me I think," she told the newspaper. "Singing really kept me going, and it was almost like a certain type of therapy for me. It was wonderful and I'm very grateful for those lessons."

She said she initially resisted the health check that uncovered the cyst after receiving the screening as a gift following a menopause talk she delivered for a company. "I don't need a health check, I'm Davina. I'm healthy, I'm [a] fitness lady, that's what I'm known for," she recalled, adding that she felt "fantastic" and in the best shape she had been in years.

The scan revealed a colloid cyst, which McCall described as "very rare" and said affects about three in a million people. She warned listeners that a benign diagnosis should not be dismissed as harmless. "Just because it's not cancerous doesn't mean it's not deadly," McCall said on BBC Woman's Hour, urging others to take benign brain lesions seriously because they can be inoperable or fatal.

McCall has spoken publicly about the emotional strain of the episode. She broke down in tears while accepting the Special Recognition award at last year's NTAs, saying at the time that she did not know where she would be six weeks after learning she needed surgery. Friends and colleagues paid tribute to a near three-decade career in a tribute video that preceded her acceptance speech.

The presenter's experience and recovery were documented in a Channel 4 documentary, which, according to notes at the awards, helped inform the decision to honor her with the Special Recognition prize. McCall said the support of colleagues and the distraction of work, including rehearsals and vocal coaching, helped her through the weeks leading up to surgery.

Medical experts describe colloid cysts as benign mucus-filled sacs most commonly found in the third ventricle of the brain. While not cancerous, they can cause serious neurological symptoms by blocking the flow of cerebrospinal fluid and increasing intracranial pressure; in some cases they require surgical removal. McCall's public account emphasized that early detection through imaging can be lifesaving.

McCall's comments add to a growing number of public figures who have used their platforms to discuss diagnosis, treatment and recovery from neurological conditions, and to encourage routine health checks. She has framed her experience as a cautionary tale about complacency and the value of listening to medical advice, while also highlighting the role that creative outlets and professional support can play in emotional recovery during medical treatment.