Interview with Davina McCall: SU2C 2021
Category: Press Pack ArticleWhy is SU2C so important to you?
Any kind of research into any illness is essential in life, because how are we going to progress, in terms of treating people, if we don’t do research? I think the really big thing for me is that one in two of us will get cancer. There are so many amazing inroads being made, but obviously the research needs to continue. We are at the tip of the most amazing scientific iceberg. Genetics and DNA and targeted therapies – there are some amazing, amazing treatments coming to the fore, and there’s just so much more to be done. My mum died of cancer, my sister died of cancer, so I know that how cancer affects people, and I know that because of the pandemic, many thousands of people have been left waiting for cancer tests and treatments, creating a worrying backlog. So I think this year, more than ever, we just need to fund as much research as we can, to give as many people as good a chance as possible.
Sarah Harding’s death is a dreadful reminder that cancer can strike at any age, isn’t it?
I think the saddest thing is the last time I’d seen Sarah Harding was on The Jump, where she was a contestant. And, oh my god, such good fun! That girl was absolutely brilliant, so exciting to be around, so fun to be with. And obviously I was there at the beginning of her career, with Popstars: The Rivals, and the show formed the band. But I read somewhere that she’d given herself a hard time for not going to sort it out earlier. That, for me, is always the hardest thing. My sister was given a terminal diagnosis in hospital and gave herself a hard time for not doing something about it. There’s nothing like the look on someone’s face when they realise that what they’re being told is that there’s no treatment. This is palliative care from now on. And the idea that you’d ever blame yourself for that is too much to handle. So we need to help people to find ways of detecting changes in their bodies, but never shaming anybody, ever, ever, ever, and least of all shaming yourself, ever, if you get sick. It’s not your fault.
I know details are vague, but can you talk about anything that will happen on the night?
I don’t know anything. But I know it’s always very good!
Is it important to bring a bit of joy to people, after a rough 18 months?
Yes! It’s odd, isn’t it, to think that a show called Stand Up to Cancer would bring a bit of joy, but actually what we don’t want to do is make people really depressed. Because there is a lot of good. And there is a lot of good that can come out of Stand Up to Cancer. It’s about positivity and it’s about hope, and it’s about forging forward to make people’s lives better, and to support people through what I think is a very tough and scary journey.
What have been your favourite moments from SU2C in the past?
Apart from fondling an enormous pair of balls -which I should hasten to add weren’t real – I always love The Last Leg. It’s always so funny, that’s probably my favourite bit of the show. There are always sad moments, or moments that are tough to watch, but actually at the end of the day it’s about raising money, and all of us on the show have been touched by cancer in some ways. It’s got everything in it, and we’re really hoping that this year it will hit home how much work needs to be done.
Is it difficult for you to control your emotions on the night?
I get very passionate about it. My sister died in 2012, which feels like quite a long time ago. It’ll be ten years next year. But it still makes me think “What if, what if, what if?” I still think that all the time. So when people tell their stories, I can relate to it, and it’s always a bit tough on the night. But really I just think “Don’t lose the plot. You’re not here to get all emotional. You’re here because you’re invested, because you’ve lost people you care about, and you are here to try and help raise as much money as you can.” So they need me to try and keep it together. It’s not just a personal sadness you feel, sometimes you’ll hear a story and be really affected by it. It’s my job not to lose it, I’ve got to keep it together and keep the ship going. But what I usually try and do is see all the stories beforehand, talk to the people if they’re there. So there are no surprises, I can take a moment before I’m on camera.
You do live TV all the time, but is it terrifying, fronting something that is live and, by nature, quite chaotic?
Yeah it is. It’s not just fronting something that’s so chaotic, I always think it’s even more terrifying when it’s something that really matters to you. It is a big responsibility, and I just want to try and find a way of connecting with people about how important this night is in terms of all of our futures. It’s in all of our interests to be part of a new wave of treatment that is just around the corner. They’re really within our reach.
Where does the money raised go?
Every penny raised from Stand Up To Cancer goes to Cancer Research UK. And they really are world leaders in terms of cancer research and treatments, constantly finding new ways to treat things. They are doing the most amazing work.
Stand Up to Cancer has become a hugely recognised brand and is now part of the fabric of TV. Are you proud of the role you’ve played in that?
I guess that I’m just proud to be part of something that’s doing some good, and anybody that watches, anybody that donates, is also part of doing something good, and they should be proud of themselves.
How will you prepare for the night?
I think, on the day, I will try and get myself into a space where I really think about the gravity of the night ahead, and how important it is, and how my actions, or the way that I work that night, might have a direct impact on how much money can be raised. So I’ll think about how best I can do my job to help as many people as I possibly can. And in the lead up to it, as well, I’ll try and get as many people as I can on board with the show and get as many people supporting it.
Oh wow. So how will you wind down, at the end of it?
It’s the night before my birthday so I’ll be winding up again! Hopefully with breakfast in bed from my kids.
Does that mean burnt toast and cold tea?
It used to mean raw crumpets and things like that, but thankfully my kids are old enough now that they know how to make breakfast!