Davina McCall has opened up about the emotional toll of her work, describing it as "it's hard and painful" while reflecting on a devastating family bereavement. The 58-year-old has co-hosted ITV's Long Lost Family alongside Nicky Campbell, 64, for the past 15 years.
However, the duo acknowledge that bringing together long-separated relatives has profoundly impacted them throughout their time on the programme. The former Big Brother host recalled a particularly moving episode involving two sets of brothers who had been searching for one another.
The moment held special significance for Davina, who lost her sister to cancer in 2012. Caroline, 50, received a lung cancer diagnosis following emergency hospital admission after what was initially thought to be a stroke.
Previously speaking to Stand Up To Cancer, Davina shared that she "missed talking" to her elder sister. She now finds comfort in reuniting siblings, appreciating the "joy it would bring" to discover a long-lost brother or sister.
In conversation with Love TV, she explained: "Sometimes with siblings, it's quite hard and painful, because one sibling might have grown up with their birth family, while the other was placed for adoption. There's a lot to unpack there, you know?", reports the Mirror.
Davina revealed that the programme's genealogists sometimes locate individuals who had no knowledge of having a sibling. "Imagine being gifted a sibling out of the blue, it would be absolutely mad," she added.
Nicky, who was adopted as a youngster and later reconnected with his biological family in adulthood, says he understands the emotions viewers at home may experience whilst watching Long Lost Family. The broadcaster confesses that "every single story affects me in a very deep way", explaining why he has "loved" fronting the programme since it began in 2011.
Nicky reveals it "reminds me so much of my life", though he acknowledges it occasionally stirs up emotions he would prefer to avoid. Nevertheless, he describes the programme as "great therapy" as it offers him an opportunity to "confront those issues" he faces.
In November, The Masked Singer star Davina disclosed she had undergone surgery for breast cancer. In a video posted on social media she expressed that she was "very angry" but found herself in a "much more positive place" following the operation.
She sought medical attention after examining herself and detecting a lump. Davina explained: "It was very, very small, so I got it very, very early which is incredibly lucky. But I am so relieved to have had it removed and to know that it hasn't spread."
She continued: "I'm talking about this because I think it might help someone. And this is what I always do."
The diagnosis arrived just over a year after Davina underwent an operation to remove a brain tumour. Medical professionals identified a colloid cyst when Davina had a health screening as part of her menopause advocacy work.
Davina discovered the lump on her breast after noticing posters urging women to "check your beasts" whilst working on The Masked Singer and Lorraine. She credits television presenter Lorraine Kelly with placing them on the back of doors throughout the studios.
Davina revealed that "everytime I went for a wee I did that". She explained: "It [the lump] was still there, and then one morning I saw myself in the mirror and thought 'I'm going to get that looked at'. I had a biopsy. I found out it was indeed breast cancer."
She is now scheduled to undergo five days of radiotherapy "as an insurance policy", as part of her "journey to try and stop it ever coming back". Davina further urged individuals to "check yourself regularly".