Davina McCall
Davina McCall, TV presenter, is interviewed by Kirsty Young for Desert Island Discs.
Davina McCall is an English television presenter. She began her career on MTV before moving to Channel 4 with the cult hit Streetmate.
She was the presenter of Big Brother during its run on Channel 4 between 2000 and 2010 and enjoyed it so much that she planned her family around the transmission schedule. All three of her children were born in September.
Davina hosts a variety of prime time and popular programmes including ITV's Long Lost Family which seeks to reunite family members.
Her own childhood was complicated. Her French mother was an alcoholic and drug user, and Davina was largely brought up by her father and grandparents. After a difficult childhood, she moved to London with her father and step-mother, and during some wild teenage years, she became a drug user. She has been clean since she was 25.
Alongside her television presenting career, she has a large following with her fitness DVDs and healthy food cookbooks.
In 2014, she undertook a 500 mile triathlon for Sport Relief raising more than two million pounds.
Producer: Sarah Taylor.
Last on
More episodes
Previous
Next
Whether conquering her fear of deep dark water or beating drugs, she’s done it her way.
Clips
-
Davina McCall: ‘I don’t know what kept me going’
Duration: 02:23
-
Davina McCall: ‘It was what I always dreamt of’
Duration: 02:29
Music Played
-
The Divine Comedy
Our Mutual Friend
- Absent Friends.
- EMI.
-
Duke Ellington and His Orchestra
Overture from the Nutcracker Suite
- The Nutcracker Suite.
- Sony.
-
Syreeta
Your Kiss is Sweet
- The Essential Syreeta.
- Spectrum.
-
Funkadelic
One Nation Under a Groove
- One Nation Under a Groove.
- Charly Groove.
-
Todd Terry
Can You Feel It (Can You Party)
- Can You Feel It.
- Warlock Records.
-
Kate Bush
Jig of Life
- Hounds of Love.
- EMI.
-
Andrew Gold
Never Let Her Slip Away
- Never Let Her Slip Away.
- Electra/Asylum.
-
CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE
-
Sarah McLachlan
Angel
- Surfacing.
- BMG.
-
-
BOOK CHOICE
Still Life With Woodpecker by Tom Robbins
LUXURY ITEM
A bath
Credits
Role | Contributor |
---|---|
Presenter | Kirsty Young |
Interviewed Guest | Davina McCall |
Producer | Sarah Taylor |
Broadcasts
- Sun 11 Dec 2016 11:15³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Radio 4
- Fri 16 Dec 2016 09:00³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Radio 4 FM
Featured in...
Desert Island Discs Archive: 2016-2018—Desert Island Discs
Guests are invited to choose the eight records they would take to a desert island.
Motivational Women—Desert Island Discs
Inspiring castaways with astonishing life stories and achievements.
Listen to over 2,000 programmes
Click above to browse castaways, from 1942 to today.
Articles
Read the surprising things we've learned about some stand-out castaways.
Podcast
-
Desert Island Discs
Castaway guests share the soundtrack of their lives.