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The Masked Singer's Davina McCall Has Come To 'major Career Decision' After Brain Tumour Operation

Davina McCall has been recovering after undergoing surgery to remove a benign brain tumour and sources say the health scare has made her reconsider her career and life choices (

Image: Getty Images for BAFTA)

Davina McCall has experienced a life-altering "realisation" following her recent health scare.

At 57, after undergoing surgery to remove a benign brain tumour, the beloved TV personality is in recovery. The Masked Singer star had to confront a colloid cyst in her brain that was around "14 mm wide" and needed urgent removal. Now almost two months on from the scare, Davina is healing well.

Her partner Michael Douglas, 49, last month gave an update that Davina was planning to ease back into work by mid-January. Making her first public appearance since the operation at a Brain Tumour Research Campaign event, Davina couldn't hide her emotions, telling the crowd: "I'm crying already, that didn't go well," before touching on her intimate links to the cause including her sister's death from a brain tumour in 2012 as well as her own recent ordeal.

People close to Davina hint that facing her mortality has shifted her outlook significantly, sparking a newfound appreciation for spending quality time with family and entertaining thoughts of a more relaxed lifestyle, potentially scaling back on professional duties.

An insider spilled to Heat magazine that the well-known TV star is taking a step back to reassess her once relentless schedule, which included a mix of television work and brand deals, as well as her commitment to staying fit.

The source shared: "Now she's had time to reflect, and she's realised what she wants is a simpler life and to spend quality time with the people she loves as well as more rest and downtime."

Davina, who is mum to Holly, 23, Tilly, 21, and Chester, 18, from her previous marriage, has apparently decided "health comes first". It's believed that the celeb now feels she's been "put on the planet for a reason".

Davina has apparently decided "health comes first" (

Image:

Getty Images for the NTA's)

Davina recently opened up after being diagnosed with a "very rare" cyst on her brain. Addressing how this shaped her conversations with loved ones, she discussed the shift in her perspective on life. Recalling the pain of losing her father Andrew last year and her sister Caroline to cancer in 2012 at just 50 years old, the 57 year old presenter shared her comfortability with the thought of mortality, asserting, "It doesn't frighten me."

She's also been proactive in preparing for the worst, making sure her family understands her feelings. With a positive spirit, Davina emphasizes celebrating life, noting, "I spend a lot of my time now telling the people I love what a f****ing great life I've had. So that if something were to happen to me suddenly, they'd know – I've loved my life."

A vocal proponent for openness, she previously discussed the importance of presence at significant moments when chatting about Emma Willis's show, Delivering Babies. While speaking to The Observer, she reflected, "It's a privilege to be at someone's birth and it's a privilege to be at someone's death. And I feel like I'm quite good at it."

Thanks to today's medical technology, craniotomy operations boast impressively high success rates and last month, despite her ongoing treatment, Davina returned to The Masked Singer but rather than appearing on the panel – she was unmasked as contestant Star.

She managed to keep her identity hidden by coordinating with the production team, ensuring her appearance remained a secret. During the performance, she avoided using her usual deodorant and perfume and adopted a voice inspired by her sister-in-law from Virginia.

Panellists Jonathon Ross, 64, and Mo Gilligan, 36, were left in disbelief when they were joined by guest judges Jennifer Saunders, 66, and Dawn French, 67. Jonathan commented: "There is absolutely no way, we thought you couldn't sing that well. I'm glad you're OK, but to me you are now dead." Davina responded: "I thought you might get me with the DVD one. It has been a ball, thank you!"

Davina delivered an incredible performance, energetically jumping around the stage in her spectacular costume. She later changed into a sparkling red dress to join the panel for the final performance by winner Holly Johnson, who was dressed as the Nutcracker. Joel joked, "I said you had diarrhoea and couldn't be here." Davina called the experience one of the best of her life. She shared a photo on Instagram from the stage, captioning it: "Well, that was a blast!!!!!"

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OU Alum Battling Brain Tumor: Self-advocacy In The Face Of Uncertainty

Photo courtesy of Megan Semeraz

Megan Semeraz, Oakland University alum, reporter and digital marketing specialist explores local coffee shops and parks with George — a Labrador-great Dane mix and her best coworker — in a routine she has maintained in preparation for brain surgery. 

She recalls never expecting a doctor's visit and a dermatologist appointment in 2018 to end up in a craniopharyngioma diagnosis — a tumor on the pituitary stalk. 

"It has been about a year and eight months since finding out about the tumor," Semeraz says "Initially, surgery sounded like the scariest thing on earth. It is still really scary, but I've sat with this since around last spring and knew for sure since August that surgery was going to be the best route."

After going on and off birth control for a couple of years prior as instructed by her obstetrician-gynecologist, something changed but the doctor couldn't say for sure what — Semeraz was asymptomatic.

"My OB/GYN just said it looked like I had PCOS, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome," Semeraz says, recalling the beginning of a time of uncertainty. "I just didn't feel like I had the symptoms of PCOS. Finally, in the spring of 2023 at my annual OB/GYN appointment, I asked my doctor for a referral for an endocrinologist."

Referrals are a few of the first issues the OU alum encountered in the healthcare system.

"In general, getting doctors to do further testing and refer you to another specialist is still a challenge," Semeraz said. "You have to be your own advocate. In my current situation with surgery, I am finding the biggest challenge is there is no one to help fully navigate/steer me in directions because I don't have a cancer diagnosis."  

With 10 years of experience in the industry working for McLaren Health Care marketing, Semeraz expected the small growth in her pituitary gland shown in the MRI. 

"It was a Monday in early May [2023], I was outside with my dog after work and I decided to check my MRI results in my Beaumont chart online," Semeraz says. "This is where I saw that I had a much larger growth and that I was to be referred to neurologic oncology."

A second point of tension, Semeraz explains that the uncertainty created between technical diagnoses in an isolated screen and patients unfamiliar with uncommon medical disorders puts too much distress on patients. 

"I know many doctors hate the fact that major test results are pushed to the patient portal before they can go over results with a patient," Semeraz says, attesting to the two weeks of heightened anxiety before making sense of her new reality. "Our society is too used to having immediate results and this is an example of how harmful that can be."

The neurosurgeon confirmed the tumor was benign, not cancerous. Uncertainty still looms over the diagnosis as it will be biopsied during the surgery scheduled for Jan. 29 at the University of Michigan. Until the biopsy, recovery and treatment procedures are still tentative.

"I'll be five days in the hospital, assuming it goes smoothly," Semeraz says with a positive prognosis and the surgeons' optimism. "I have taken work off eight weeks, I'm hoping it will take four to six weeks. I want to go back to normal."

Semeraz's best friend will be taking care of George for a few days while she will be tended by her mom and sister — all taking time off work. Thus, Semeraz set up a GoFundMe to cover medical costs and living expenses.

After spending more time with friends and family, Semeraz meditates and stays home in preparation for the surgery, with renewed spirits as years of uncertainty come closer to an end. Remembering her advocacy stories for Karmanos Cancer Institute, Semeraz concludes her story with a note on advocacy — a life-saving action.

"I wouldn't have ever gotten an MRI unless I asked my doctor for a referral. Even knowing I had a tumor, I got a few different opinions," Semeraz says. "When in doubt, get a second, third, fourth opinion. It's stressful and time-consuming, but you absolutely have to do your research — no one is going to do that for you. That is absolutely your biggest power as a patient."

Michael Bolton Shares Christmas Photo 1 Year After Successful Brain Tumor Surgery

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Singer Michael Bolton is sharing a cozy photo celebrating Christmas nearly one year after announcing his successful emergency surgery to remove a brain tumor.

The singer shared a photo on social media Wednesday wearing a Santa hat alongside family members smiling together.

The group is cuddled on the couch in front of two lit Christmas trees and presents wrapped in the back.

Singer Michael Bolton reveals recent brain surgery, announces temporary break from touring to recover

"Sending warm wishes for a holiday season filled with peace, love, and joy. May the New Year bring health, happiness, and countless moments to cherish," wrote Bolton in the caption of the photo. "Here's to fresh starts and beautiful moments in 2025!"

PHOTO: Michael Bolton shares a Christmas photo one year after emergency surgery to remove a brain tumor. (Michael Bolton/Facebook)

In January, Bolton announced on social media that he had successfully undergone emergency brain surgery after discovering a brain tumor before the holidays in 2023.

Grammy-winner Bolton, 71, who released his first album nearly 50 years ago, further shared in his Instagram post that "For the next couple of months, I will be devoting my time and energy to my recovery which means I'll have to take a temporary break from touring."

Britney Spears celebrates 'Best Christmas of my life' with son Jayden in sweet video

In the post, Bolton thanked his "incredible medical team" for the successful surgery.

According to the American Brain Tumor Association, brain tumors can affect "people of all ages, races, ethnicities, and genders," and that more than 1.3 million Americans are "living with a primary or secondary/metastatic brain tumor today."

Michael Bolton shares Christmas photo 1 year after successful brain tumor surgery originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.Com

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