In an age where public figures — including certain members of the Royal Family — appear willing to expose private matters, Davina McCall has offered straightforward guidance for those in the limelight.
During a conversation with her husband, Michael Douglas, on their podcast Making The Cut, Davina spoke admiringly of Fearne Cotton, whose Happy Place podcast covers very similar ground to Davina’s own online talk show, Begin Again. She made clear there is no rivalry between them.
“I think what’s interesting is — because Fearne is a different person — she often asks different questions than I would. I would like to listen to one of her pods for research,” she said.
Davina drew a parallel with Joe Wicks, who works within the health and fitness sector. “I had Joe Wicks on Begin Again, and we basically fill the same kind of space with our love for exercise. But we have never, ever slagged each other off or been rude about each other,” she explained.
She continued by stressing that disputes between celebrities serve no purpose: “There’s space for everybody. I actually think the world is a horrible place online and all around. If you are in the same business as someone else — entertainment, broadcasting, whatever — don’t publicly slag them off.”
Having maintained a presence in the public sphere for more than three decades, Davina offered counsel to her peers in the industry, describing showbiz disputes as “a waste of life.”
She recommends: “If you’ve got real beef with someone, contact them. Well, no, contact them and tell them. Like it’s very easy nowadays.”
Rather than dwelling on celebrities she dislikes, Davina prefers to celebrate those she admires, calling Fearne Cotton “quite brilliant.”
Reflecting on how their friendship began, Davina explained: “Actually, it was Sport Relief that brought us together. We did a huge challenge from John O’Groats to Land’s End and we got on brilliantly then. And we’ve been friends since then, but kind of lightly… casual friends messaging every now and again.
“I’d check in with her, she’d check in with me,” Davina continued. “But then when we both got sick, she really, really stepped up.
“She was amazing. And I like to hope that I reciprocated in some way. And I absolutely love that woman.”
Fearne Cotton, 43, had surgery in late 2024 to have two tumours removed from her jaw and salivary gland after spotting unusual growth. Despite the potentially significant operation, Fearne has since confirmed she is recovering well.
Davina’s own health battles are widely known, having confronted two serious diagnoses almost exactly a year apart. In November 2024, she had surgery to remove a rare colloid cyst that risked putting pressure on her brain.
A year on, having recovered from that procedure, Davina found a small lump in one of her breasts, which was also successfully removed. Speaking on Begin Again, the former Big Brother presenter characterised herself as possessing an “aggravatingly and annoyingly positive” outlook that has aided her in navigating life’s numerous challenges.
“I have been through so many things and sometimes I have wondered why I am still such a positive person,” she further commented, with this buoyant disposition evidently permeating her interactions with other celebrities.