I’ve always had a soft spot for Davina, you know those TV presenters that just make you feel like you know them and you could be mates, well that’s Davina.
Doesn’t matter what she happens to be presenting, Big Brother, Long Lost Family, Million Pound Drop, Comic Relief – or her most important achievement to date if you ask me, helping unearth the pop phenomenon that was Girls Aloud on Popstars The Rivals, she always comes across as someone who is great fun but caring at the same time.
Davina’s book “Lessons I’ve Learned” is a sort of autobiography, set out in the form of lessons that certain events or experiences in her life have taught her, as she explains, so we don’t have to make the same mistakes to learn them ourselves.
I got the audio version of this because I find it so much more engrossing to hear an author read their own books, because they deliver it how they intended and can put so much more emotion into the performance. And having Davina read this made you forget it was actually a book, because it was like you were just having a (slightly one sided) conversation, where she was simply chatting to you about her life across the kitchen table with a cup of tea.
I can’t tell you how much I loved listening to it – obviously Davina chatting to me whilst I drove to work in the morning was a bonus, but I learnt a lot of things I didn’t know which made me admire her even more.
Like just how much of an addiction problem Davina had when she was younger, how her upbringing by two very different families affected her – especially her relationship with her Mum, and how this reflects in the way she brings up her own children.
It’s also reassuring to know that even successful famous people suffer from the same anxieties, crisis of confidence and feelings of self doubt that the rest of us do.
Hearing Davina talk about her sister Caroline’s last days was heartbreaking and touching, but still with that added touch of humour when she revealed they put copies of all her favourite soap magazines in the coffin with her, because she loved reading them so much.
Most of all it’s just full of great advice, some stuff which seems obvious to do when it’s explained so simply, and also some great reading recommendations, which i’ve added to my Reading List.
A great read, full of positivity and optimism on how to get the best out of life – I might just listen to it again. Thanks for the chat Davina.