Davina McCall in tears as Jamie Theakston makes touching admission amid cancer battle after tumour discovery
Davina McCall, 57, broke down in tears during an emotional reunion at Heart FM yesterday, as colleague Jamie Theakston made his triumphant return to the breakfast show after beating throat cancer.
The tearful scenes unfolded in the London studio as Theakston, 54, was welcomed back by McCall, Amanda Holden and Ashley Roberts following his four-month battle with the disease.
The presenters shared heartfelt hugs as they reunited on-air for the first time since Theakston’s cancer diagnosis in October 2024.
“Thanks to everyone for making this morning feel very, very special,” said the 54-year-old, who has now been declared cancer-free.
In a poignant moment during the broadcast, Theakston revealed how McCall had inadvertently helped him discover his illness through a hug in August.
“Without you doing that I would not have known there was something wrong with my throat,” Theakston told an emotional McCall.
McCall recalled: “When I hugged you that day here and you went, ‘ow ow ow’, I looked at you and I thought, ‘oh my goodness I’ve really really hurt him.'”
The strong hug had caused Theakston unexpected pain, leading him to seek medical attention where he was diagnosed with stage 1 laryngeal cancer.
“You getting better means so much to me,” McCall said through tears.
During the emotional reunion, the pair also discussed McCall’s own recent health battle.
The 57-year-old presenter had recently undergone surgery to remove a benign brain tumour, discovered during a routine health check.
“It’s been a rollercoaster and it’s weirdly been quite nice being simultaneously trying to get through something with you,” McCall told Theakston.
She explained the rare condition, called a colloid cyst, was found during a menopause health check gifted by Dame Lesley and Rupal.
“And it’s gone!” McCall exclaimed, before sharing another heartfelt hug with her colleague.
Theakston underwent three surgeries during his cancer treatment, facing challenging odds throughout his journey.
“By the third one, they said, ‘well, look, you’ve got a one in six chance you might not be able to talk again’,” he revealed.
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The presenter completed four months of vocal therapy alongside the operations to treat his laryngeal cancer.
His wife Sophie Siegle recalled the difficult period: “When we found out you had cancer, it was wow, such a dark time.”
The diagnosis came after listeners had noticed something wasn’t quite right with his voice, prompting him to seek medical attention.
In a powerful message to listeners, Theakston stressed the importance of early cancer detection.
“Ignoring cancer won’t beat it. Cancer loves being ignored. It’s a coward that lives in the shadows, and I think that, if we can shine a light on that, then we can defeat the darkness,” he said.