Exclusive: Davina McCall reveals she 'grieved' not being able to have more children when menopause hit
Davina McCall has become quite the national treasure, having won the hearts of the nation with her outgoing presenting style and passion for helping women navigate menopause.
And when we meet the star at the Corinthia London hotel, she is just as warm and welcoming as you'd expect.
The vivacious mother of three is here to host a diamond anniversary dinner to celebrate 60 years of the charity Wellbeing of Women, an important cause for Davina, who has become an outspoken advocate for women's health.
Sitting down for an exclusive interview with HELLO!, Davina, who turns 57 this week, is thrilled to find out that as part of World Menopause Month, we are celebrating her as a "Change Maker" for her contribution to reducing stigma around menopause and helping women get the support they need.
She says: "That's amazing; what an honour. I'm really proud to be with all these other amazing women helping other women.
The Long Lost Family host, who has three children – Holly, 23, Tilly, 21, and 18-year-old Chester – with her former husband Matthew Robertson and is now in a relationship with celebrity hairstylist Michael Douglas, joined celebrities including Olympic gold medallist Dame Kelly Holmes and journalist Mariella Frostrup to pay tribute to Wellbeing of Women.
Davina, you're a big champion of embracing midlife. What do you love most about your stage of life?
"Probably that I just stopped giving myself such a hard time. I spent most of my life with a critic in my ear who was so harsh, and I don't have any of that any more.
"It's a journey to self-acceptance. I was a perfectionist for most of my life and if I couldn't do something perfectly, I probably wouldn't do it. I'd be embarrassed or I wouldn't want to put myself out of my comfort zone.
"I did things like throw myself out of a helicopter, but that was for a TV show. I was absolutely terrified!
"Now I'm braver – not in those kinds of things, but in life."
You're in a happy relationship with your partner Michael. Would you feel just as content if you were single now?
"I think I would. What I like is that Michael's an independent person and I'm an independent person.
"I have my life and he has his life, and we share our lives together. I'm not dependent on him and he's not dependent on me. We're together because we want to be together.
"I think I would be the same person and that's what's really nice about it – I haven't changed or become someone else."
You're hosting a podcast called Begin Again. What is it about midlife that inspires people to try new things?
"The menopause reframes your whole life. I remember grieving at the beginning of perimenopause, feeling that I didn't want any more kids but that I wasn't ready to not be able to have any more. I felt awful for a couple of years.
"Then, when I got my hormones more balanced, I felt more in control. I hit 50 and realised that that was it – no more periods – and it was like beginning again.
"You think: 'Who am I? My kids are getting older; where am I going?' I've never had a hobby before. I'd always said exercise was my hobby, but that's just me trying to stay alive for longer.
"Midlife is a time where you start looking at spirituality, giving yourself some kind of purpose. I've got into the universe; I want to go and see [physicist and broadcaster] Brian Cox. I'm trying to understand physics. I want to learn about the world and everything in it."
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Your children must find it inspiring that you do something you love…
"Well, they inspire me. My daughter Tilly left school at 18 and one day said: 'I want to go and live in Australia.' I was like: 'Oh, right.' She did three months' farm work when her visa was running out, on her own. She inspires me.
"Holly inspires me – she's worked really hard and has become a dietitian – and Chester is a total inspiration. They're all great kids. I've got two great stepkids as well, so I'm very lucky."
To read the full exclusive interview with Davina, pick up the latest issue of HELLO! on sale in the UK on Monday. You can subscribe to HELLO! to get the magazine delivered free to your door every week or purchase the digital edition online via our Apple or Google apps.
