Davina McCall opens up about difficult childhood with drugs
Davina McCall has opened up about her traumatic childhood experiences and her former drug addiction.
The Big Brother presenter appeared on the latest edition of Steven Bartlett’s The Diary of a CEO podcast, which was released earlier today.
In the interview, the 55-year-old revealed emotional details about her relationship with her mother. Davina detailed that “the moment I realised my mum wasn't coming back to pick me up” was the first defining moment of her life.
When Davina was just three years old, her mother Florence told her that she was going on holiday and would be staying with her grandmother. However, in reality, Florence had split up with Davina’s father and was leaving for Paris, with the young girl staying in the UK in the custody of her grandmother and father.
Davina then went on to detail that she still saw her mother occasionally, but things escalated when she became a teenager and she began to develop drug habits. "When I say I'm half nun, half wild child it's because of that life that I've had,” the Long Lost Family host explained on the podcast.
"Drugs at 12 with my mum, smoking weed at 12, coke at 15, 14 even. I did coke with my mum at 15, I did it with my sister at 14,” Davina recalled, getting emotional.
“Me and my mum only did drugs twice,” she added. “I mean, I know that's twice times too many in my book, but I don't want to give this impression that she and I were taking tonnes of drugs together cause that would be a false impression".
Davina further reminisced about how her teenage self tried to refrain from developing a drug addiction while she lived in the UK. “My life in Paris and my life in the UK must never know about each other”, she explained.
Unfortunately, Davina did become further addicted to drugs and alcohol in her twenties and has, over recent years, spoken about how it is a “miracle” that she survived her youth. The TV presenter has since been sober for the past two decades, and continues to educate others on the dangers of addiction.
Anyone affected by this story can seek help and support here.
