Popular television presenter Davina McCall has opened up about a significant personal decision regarding her recent marriage, while also revealing a major change to her work-life balance following a challenging period of health issues.
Keeping the McCall Name
During a candid conversation on the couple's shared podcast, 'Making The Cut', Davina McCall addressed the question of whether she would take her new husband's surname. The star, who married Michael Douglas, 49, in December 2025 after a seven-year romance, was clear about her choice.
"I think, like in public, I am Davina McCall. I've always been Davina," she stated. Michael Douglas responded supportively, saying, "Yeah. You've just happened to be my wife now." Davina then confirmed, "Yeah, I'm going to stay like that."
The pair have been reflecting on their "very private" wedding ceremony, which Davina recently described as the "best day of her life", even surpassing the joy of giving birth to her children. Michael echoed the sentiment, calling it a "brilliant day".
A Year of Health Challenges and Recovery
The emotional discussion took a poignant turn as Michael Douglas became visibly moved while reflecting on the past couple of years, during which Davina faced serious health struggles. In 2024, she underwent surgery to remove a benign brain tumour, followed by surgery for breast cancer last year.
Michael confessed that the ordeal had a profound impact on him. "I think I had the hardest year of my life last year. I think it was so hard. It broke me really," he shared. "I would say by November, I was done. I just thought, 'I don't think I can recover from this.'"
He added, with evident relief, "And I cannot tell you how good I feel....It's the best I've felt for as long as I can remember."
Re-evaluating Priorities: The Shift to a Four-Day Week
These health scares have prompted Davina to completely reassess her lifestyle and commitments. Despite maintaining a packed presenting schedule—which includes hosting 'The Masked Singer' and the emotionally charged series 'Long Lost Family' alongside Nicky Campbell, 58—she has decided to make a significant change.
Appearing on the Miss Me? podcast, Davina explained that her diagnosis made her realise she needed to de-stress her life. "Interestingly, I realised that - but then the breast cancer, which I thought was a very, very frightening thing, made me realise that I really, really had to put that into place," she told hosts Miquita Oliver and Jordan Stephens.
"And I have now. I'm going to work a four-day week," she announced. "I feel so much better now about my life and trying to get it more balanced. So now, really, as I hit this stage of my life, I want to take more care of myself. That is my latest project: me, because I can't take care of anyone else if I'm not okay."
Davina continues to find deep professional fulfilment in her work on the fifteenth series of 'Long Lost Family', a programme that helps reunite separated relatives. She expressed continual amazement at the unique stories each contributor brings, noting that every journey into "unchartered territory" remains profoundly moving and unique.
