Davina McCall on Experiencing Alzheimer's-like Symptoms After Brain Surgery
BBC News reports that TV presenter Davina McCall shared a personal story on Paloma Faith's podcast Mad, Sad and Bad, revealing she faced symptoms similar to "advanced Alzheimer's" following brain surgery in 2024.
McCall, 58, had surgery to remove a benign brain tumor, which was discovered during a health check-up related to her menopause advocacy work. She described memory loss during her recovery, stating, "After I'd had my brain tumor taken out, I had advanced Alzheimer's, so I couldn't remember anything."
She recalled, "When I came out of the operation, I didn't know I'd had an operation. One regular staff member would ask me daily if I could remember their name, to which I'd respond, 'I don't know'."
The Masked Singer judge's condition improved over time, with a significant milestone occurring a year after her surgery when she woke up and could remember the previous day's events for the first time.
McCall attributed her recovery, in part, to music therapy, suggesting singing lessons were instrumental in her healing process.
According to the NHS, advanced Alzheimer's disease can indeed cause significant short and long-term memory problems, and symptoms often worsen progressively over years. However, after brain surgery, the initial recovery period typically involves acute memory issues that stabilize and, in some cases, improve over weeks to months.
In April 2025, McCall shared promising news, revealing via her podcast Begin Again that MRI scans indicated her tumor was not recurring.