Davina McCall reveals her daughter Holly tested positive for COVID-19

Davina McCall has revealed her eldest daughter Holly tested positive for coronavirus just a week after she went to university.

The TV presenter, 52, told how her daughter, 18, had just arrived at Newcastle University and caught the virus within a few days.

Davina spoke about her daughter’s health with her boyfriend Michael Douglas on their podcast Making The Cut. 

Michael told how he and his son had got a COVID-19 test the week before and both were negative. 

Davina replied: ‘Whereas my daughter got it. She tested positive.’ 

Michael said: ‘The irony there is she’s a very positive person,’ to which Davina agreed: ‘She is a very positive person.’

The TV star addded: ‘She went to Newcastle University and was there a week and got Covid. Can you imagine an influx of 50,000 students from all over the country and none of them are social distancing?’

Michael then said the students would likely all ‘want a song and a touch and a feel and a stroke. 

‘That’s what university is for, for Goodness sake. You don’t learn anything there. It is a relief she’s had it.’

Davina agreed it was a relief Holly had it after she confirmed earlier this year her daughter would still be going to university despite the pandemic.

Sunday Times Style Magazine’s editor-in-chief, Lorraine Candy tweeted: ‘Long long discussions in this house about Uni this September. To defer or not? 

‘Feeling very sorry for the class of 2020 – all our young A Level students in the UK who’ve got little to look forward to now and huge decisions to make. Hard to see an upside.’

Davina responded to the tweet with: ‘Mine going in September. It will be very competitive next year?’

According to official numbers from Newcastle University, 1,868 have tested positive for COVID-19 since mid-September. 

Davina split from from husband Matthew Robertson in 2017 after 17 years together, and the couple are also parents to Tilly, 16 and Chester, 13. 

This summer, the star moved into her new £3.4million home in Kent to make a ‘fresh start’ following her split from Matthew.

Speaking to Woman & Home magazine about her new star, she said: ‘I’m building a house! My kids and I have been renting and we were trying to find a plot of land. So we’re doing it together.

‘This year is going to be super stressful, but really fun. It’s the next phase of our lives – a house that we’ve all built and everyone gets to choose how they want their bedrooms.

‘We’re unbelievably lucky. It was tough for the kids after we sold our house after Matthew and I split up, so it’s nice to say, “fresh house, fresh start”.’