Davina McCall says she had ‘advanced Alzheimer’s’ symptoms after brain surgery
Davina McCall says she had severe memory problems after surgery to remove a benign brain tumour in 2024, describing them as similar to “advanced Alzheimer’s”. Her account highlights how brain surgery can affect memory during recovery, while her experience improved over time.
She said she could not remember having had the operation, recognise a regular member of staff or recall what she had watched or read moments earlier. The 58-year-old underwent a craniotomy in November 2024 after a colloid cyst was found during a health check; she later said scans showed the tumour was not returning. McCall said her memory began improving and credited singing lessons with helping her recovery.
- McCall had severe memory loss after brain tumour surgery.
- She struggled to recall recent events, films and books.
- Her memory improved over time, and scans showed no tumour recurrence.
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Davina McCall is a British television presenter. In 2024, doctors found a colloid cyst, a usually non-cancerous growth, in her brain, and she had an operation called a craniotomy to remove it.
Memory problems can occur after brain surgery as the brain recovers, though their nature and duration vary. McCall’s experience has drawn attention to the possible effects of surgery on memory and to how recovery can change over time.