There is one woman who has been a rock for Davina McCall through the ups and downs of her life: her beloved stepmother.
In fact, she has seen Gaby, her late father Andrew’s wife, as her “stabilizing” force, especially when her relationship with her own mother Florence was strained.
And that, it seems, has never been truer than now that the television star is recovering from an operation to remove a benign brain tumor more than a week ago.
In a heartfelt Instagram update, Davina, 57, shared her gratitude for Gaby and stepmothers in general, describing her as “an amazing rock” and affectionately calling her “a big dose of vitamin G.”
In the video message filmed from her bed, she said: ‘I am being looked after wonderfully by Michael and my mother.
There is one woman who has been a rock for Davina McCall through the ups and downs of her life: her beloved stepmother
Davina has credited Gaby (pictured), the wife of her late father Andrew, as her ‘stabilizing’ force, especially when her relationship with her own mother Florence was strained.
In a heartfelt Instagram update, Davina, 57, shared her gratitude for Gaby and stepmothers in general, describing her as “an amazing rock” and affectionately calling her “a big dose of vitamin G.”
‘I would quickly say: make the stepmothers big. I can’t really say thank you enough to Gaby. She has been a great rock throughout my life.”
Emotionally, she continued, “I was talking to someone yesterday, I said I have a huge dose of vitamin G. I think I feel so grateful when something like this happens. I have always been grateful, I have been really lucky in my life.
‘But I feel incredibly grateful now. So thank you for everything y’all. I am on the mend, I am resting, I sleep a lot and I feel very good. I just feel very happy.’
Gaby, an artist from west London, came into the lives of Davina and her late older sister Caroline after meeting their father Andrew when the presenter was six years old.
A friend of the star said: ‘Gaby and Davina are so close, it’s beautiful. Davina feels so blessed.”
‘Gaby is always there for her, they are super close. Not only was she there as an adult for Davina, but she was also there as a teenage girl.’
They have remained close since Andrew’s death in 2022 and she calls Gaby mom.
Davina, presenter of Long Lost Family, has been full of praise for Gaby – whom she calls Gabba – for some time now.
In 2019, she celebrated her stepmother’s support, praising her for stepping into a motherly role during her troubled childhood.
Bond: In the comments of the sweet post, Gaby revealed that she ‘never liked the title ‘stepmother’ because she ‘always felt like she was just your mother’
In the video message filmed from her bed, she said: ‘I am being looked after wonderfully by Michael and my mother. I would quickly say: make the stepmothers big. I can’t really say thank you enough to Gaby. She has been a great rock throughout my life.”
The presenter posted a photo of Gaby and wrote: ‘Mothers come in all shapes. They don’t have to be biologically connected to you.
‘My biological mother was not a mother to me. But two women filled that role. Pippy, my grandma and this lady. This is Gaby. She’s been my stepmother since I was six.
‘Being a stepmother has its challenges… but for me… (my real mother was an alcoholic) she was my much-needed stability.’
The mum-of-three daughters Holly, 22, and Tilly, 21, and son Chester, 17, revealed how she ‘went off the rails’ not long after moving in with Gaby and her dad Andrew at the age of 13. .
She said: ‘I went to live with Gaby and my dad when I was 13 and a few years later I started to go off the rails.
‘She was always there, solid, a rock… and she remained that way all my life. She gave me my beautiful little sister and is the most phenomenal wife to my father (who has Alzheimer’s).”
‘So Gaby, I’m so proud to call you mom. Thanks for everything. I love you.’
In her comments on Davina’s post, Gaby revealed that she “never liked the title of ‘stepmom’ because she ‘always felt like she was just your mom.’
She wrote: ‘Thank you! I’ve never liked the title “stepmother” because it doesn’t convey the best images, either in life or in fiction. I’ve always felt like your mother.’
The former Big Brother host has been open about her complicated relationship with her birth mother, Florence, who she cut out of her life after a series of betrayals, including selling stories about Davina’s struggles with addiction.
Davina recalled that her mother Florence (pictured) abandoned her at the age of three and was married four times before her death in 2008
Davina has two girls, Holly, 23, Tilly, 21 (above), and a son, Chester, 17, who she shares with her ex-husband Matthew Robertson
Davina divorced her ex-husband Matthew Robertson in 2017 after 17 years of marriage (pictured in May 2013)
Reflecting on one such incident before her wedding to TV presenter Matthew Robertson, Davina explained on Loose Women that Florence’s actions led to rumors about her sobriety.
‘I told her about it [selling stories],” Davina said, “but she didn’t mind it that much, and then she did it again.”
Ultimately, Davina decided to permanently cut ties with her mother.
She clarified that she was not “momming” but acknowledged Florence’s limitations: “My mother was a great mother, but she didn’t know how to behave on a human level.”
“I don’t want to be a victim or be portrayed as a victim,” Davina told the panel.
‘If I can teach someone something [from my struggle]that will be a good thing.’
During an appearance on Who Do You Think You Are? Davina recalled that her mother abandoned her at the age of three and married four times before her death in 2008.
The two did not speak for eight years and in the emotional program the Big Brother presenter admitted that her mother ‘probably shouldn’t have had children’.
Nevertheless, Davina does not want to be seen as a victim: ‘If I can teach someone something [from my struggle]that will be a good thing.’
No matter what happens, she will have her stepmother by her side through it all.