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Davina McCall reveals past addiction prepared her for marriage breakdown

The TV presenter ended her marriage to Matthew Robertson in November

davina mccall matthew robertson
Sharnaz Shahid
Deputy Online Editor
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Davina McCall revealed that her past battles with alcohol and drug addiction have helped her deal with her pending divorce from husband Matthew Robertson. The 50-year-old TV presenter, who announced her split in November, confessed that all her past woes have made her stronger than ever. Speaking to Red Magazine, mum-of-three Davina shared: "You need to experience difficulty to learn how to be resilient. If you haven't, the minute you do it will hit you like a freight train as you’ve never been given the tools to deal with it."

davina mccall husband© Photo: Getty Images

Davina McCall and husband Matthew Robertson split last year

Matthew and Davina were married for 17 years and are parents to three children – Holly, 16, Tilly, 14, and 11-year-old Chester. The TV star has always been open about her past; as well as her addiction, she had a strained relationship with her mother Florence Kock, who passed away in South Africa in 2008. She also watched her father - presenter John Bishop - battle Alzheimer's, while her sister Caroline Baday died from cancer in August 2012. She added: "When I think of all the stuff with my mum in my childhood, the drugs and the alcohol, my sister dying… All those make you think, 'Throw anything at me, I'll be OK.' It might be hard, but I do feel I could deal with anything."

READ: Davina McCall breaks silence on split from husband Matthew for the first time

Davina is now a devoted fitness fan. To date she has released 13 workout DVDs, and regularly shares photos on social media showing her participating in rigorous exercise regimes. The beloved presenter is also one step closer to achieving her goal of becoming a personal trainer, having qualified to lead exercise classes after completing part two of her course. She announced earlier this year that she was training to become a personal trainer, telling fans she was looking forward to adding another "string to my bow".

MORE: Davina McCall sets the record straight on her divorce settlement