Davina McCall's split from first hubby, rarely-seen kids and finding love again

11 September 2023 , 16:40

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Why Davina McCall split with first husband, rarely seen kids and finding love with hairdresser

With just hours to go until the premiere of My Mum, Your Dad, host Davina McCall's personal life has piquing the interest of her loyal fanbase.

The 55-year-old will grace our screens once again tonight to present the ITV dating show, which has been promoted as a middle-aged version of Love Island, which aims to give British singletons in their 40s and 50s a "second chance at love." Unlike its younger predecessor, however, My Mum, Your Dad will see the adult children of its participants ultimately decide their romantic fate by watching all the drama unfold from a secret surveillance room.

Davina, who has been married and divorced twice herself, has hailed how the ground-breaking show celebrates 'midlife love' ahead of its highly-anticipated launch.

"There are so many people who are second-time rounders, or who have lost someone, or have gone through life unsuccessful [in love]," she explained. "It was important that there were no cameras in the bedrooms because, for me, personally speaking, I’d rather watch the hint of love, the hint of something coming. A moment of tenderness that’s so exciting… instead of jumping into shagging."

The Big Brother host parted ways with her second husband, former Pet Rescue presenter Matthew Robertson, in 2017. The showbiz couple, who met by chance on Clapham Common, wed in 2000 and went on to have three children together; Holly, 21, Tilly, 19, and sixteen-year-old Chester.

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Davina was also married once before Matthew – albeit, very briefly. The Masked Singer host tied the knot with Andrew Leggett in 1997, only to file for divorce after just three months together. The estranged couple were photographed having a tense exchange outside the mysterious shopkeeper's west London flat shortly before their split, but it remains unknown what exactly caused the separation.

Davina McCall photographed having an argument with her ex husband Andrew

"I fell madly in love, but it was wrong, so I got out quick. I won't talk about it because he's not a celebrity and it's not fair on him," she told the Mirror in 2006. It's understood that Andrew, who has also refused to comment publicly on their divorce, now works as a holistic healer.

Following on from the breakdown of her two marriages, Davina is now in a happy relationship with celebrity hairstylist Michael Douglas. Michael started off as Davina's hair stylist during her Big Brother days, with the presenter trusting the hair expert as her go-to 'therapist' for some 20 years before they found love and announced their relationship.1

Davina also rarely speaks about about her experience of motherhood, but she has given her fans a glimpse into her relationship with her three children on a handful occasions in the past. She recently spoke about how she was struggling to cope with her middle child's move to Australia, after the 19-year-old ditched her famous mother to prioritise her older sister and friends in her final days before emigrating.

Davina divorced from her second husband Matthew Robertson in 2017 (Getty Images Europe)

"She was off to Newcastle seeing her sister, visiting other friends, saying goodbye to all her mates, I was talking to Michael [Douglas] and I was like 'Agh I'm really struggling with this!'" Davina admitted, before revealing her hairdresser boyfriend - whom she met in 2019 - responded by giving her some solid advice. "And he said, 'Davina let's go back to when you were 19. What were you doing?' and I said I was leaving home and moving into a room in someone's flat." Davina and Michael, 48, moved in together last Christmas, and quickly established new festive customs together - such as watching The King's Speech.

"It's quite nice making new traditions because we did that before Christmas, we sat down together and talked about it: 'Ok, blank space, what shall we make tradition from now on?','' she revealed on their own podcast, Making the Cut.

Davina has since found love with hairdresser Michael Douglas (David Fisher/REX/Shutterstock for NTA)

The pair are clearly smitten (David Fisher/REX/Shutterstock for NTA)

She has also recently revealed that her son, Chester, finds her presenting of TV shows about sex and relationships "so embarrassing." Meanwhile, Davina's eldest, Holly, is currently a dietic student at Newcastle University. She spoke about her approach to parenting teenagers on a podcast in 2016, revealing her secret for avoiding blow-out arguments.

"When my daughter comes to talk to me and asks to come back from a party at one, in my head I'm going, 'Not on your Nelly'. But then we compromise… We then don’t have the slamming of the doors," she explained.

Emma Dooney