The Masked Singer panellist Davina McCall opened up about all things parenting and how she has learned profound life lessons from her three children Holly, Tilly and Chester
Liam McInerney Content Editor
16:30, 04 Jan 2026
Davina pictured with her youngest daughter Tilly (Image: Instagram./ _tillyrobertson)
TV legend Davina McCall opened up about the greatest lessons she has learned from being a parent – after her youngest daughter told her to stop doing one thing. The Masked Singer panellist co-wrote a book, titled Birthing, with midwife Marley Hall which was published last year and offers support and advice on every stage of birth.
The popular presenter’s own children are now grown up and she revealed what Holly, 24, Tilly, 22, and Chester, 19, have all taught her.
And speaking to the North Devon Journal, she said: “If ever somebody’s saying to me, ‘I don’t know whether to have kids or not,’ one of the reasons why I would say have kids is not because of what you can pass on, it’s what they make you look at.
“Tilly, my middle one, has been the greatest at teaching me to stop micromanaging. She is like, ‘no Mum, let me try this – don’t tell me what to do. I know what to do, and if it’s a mistake, I’ll still be ok.’
“I think that’s the big fear with parents, you think, ‘oh my God, I’ve got to lead you through this one. It’s going to be difficult,’ but they have to make mistakes.”
Davina McCall became emotional while speaking to Chris Evans last month about death (Image: VIRGINRADIO)
Davina, 58, said her “greatest gifts” in life have all come from catastrophic situations and she said if you don’t allow your kids to experience their own troubles, they will struggle to learn.
She also advised parents to be as honest as they can with their children and a big reason why is because it results in them being more honest with you in return.
The mum-of-three believes it is then easier for parent and child to forgive one another after someone makes a mistake.
While promoting the paperback for the birthing book, Davina also opened up on Chris Evans’ Virgin Radio Breakfast Show about another project she was planning to write.
She said it was about death and how to have a positive end to your life.
The Masked Singer returns has returned for its seventh season (Image: ITV )
This was partly inspired by her brain tumour ordeal where in November 2024 she had a 14mm colloid non-cancerous cyst removed.
Opening up about the health scare, and how it shaped her thinking about dying, she told The Guardian: “The best thing to come out of it is not being frightened of death any more. I wasn’t terrified of dying, but I didn’t want to die. I love life, love living, and definitely wanted to be around for my kids while they were young.
“I think if I’d got ill when my kids were little it would have been very different, but I looked at my three kids and, although I didn’t want to leave them, I did think: you’d all be OK if I did.”
The Masked Singer airs on ITV this evening at 6.30pm
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