DAVINA McCALL has spent her career rubbing shoulders with celebrities.
But when presenting The Sun’s Who Cares Wins awards, she was thrilled to see a very different kind of star take centre stage.
Davina McCall will present The Sun’s Who Cares Wins awards again this year[/caption]
Prince William was one of a host of VIPs at last year’s awards, being pictured here with Carmela Chillery-Watson[/caption]
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The presenter, who we can today reveal will be returning to host our annual celebration of health heroes, found last year’s ceremony “incredibly moving”.
She joined a host of VIPs including Prince William, Prime Minister Boris Johnson, David Beckham, Sir Rod Stewart and many more to pay tribute to those who went above and beyond to keep their communities safe — and will be back to do it all again in September.
Davina, 54, said: “What I really loved was that normally you have an audience of people watching a stage of celebrities, but it’s really special to have an audience of massive celebrities — including the PM and our future king — watching a stage of ordinary people who do extraordinary jobs.
“And you could see how humbled everyone in the audience was, how in awe they were of these amazing people who do so much. Not in the hope of recognition but simply because they love to help others.”
Read more on Who Cares Wins
Our Who Cares Wins awards, in partnership with NHS Charities Together, will once again be broadcast on Channel 4 in September.
And we can today announce that it will also be sponsored by The National Lottery for the second consecutive year.
We guarantee the amazing stories of our finalists will move you to tears — including the epic contribution many have made in aiding war-torn Ukraine.
Mum-of-three Davina said: “There are people who work in health who just give more than is expected on every single level.
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“If you work in a caring industry you can literally do that job anywhere in the world, so the fact that there are people who choose to do it somewhere where their personal safety is at risk is just mind-blowing.
“Let’s not forget these doctors and nurses are going to a war zone. They really are saints.”
This year our awards will recognise inspirational people across 11 categories, including Best Doctor, Best Nurse, Best Health Charity and Unsung Hero.
And Davina says it is sure to be an emotional night — just like last year, which was the first time our annual awards were televised.
She said: “I’m definitely prepared to shed a few tears. Last year we had this incredible doctor, Waheed Arian, who had fled Afghanistan as a child, only to go on to qualify as a doctor and set up a charity that helps medics in war zones.
“He’d been a Man United fan since he was a kid — and there he was getting his award from David Beckham. It really was an incredible moment.”
Another highlight was the standing ovation given to the Oxford Covid-19 Vaccine Team, who were presented with the award for Groundbreaking Pioneer by Boris Johnson.
Davina said: “I’m an eternal optimist, but when we were in that terrible cycle of infections and lockdowns in the worst days of the pandemic it was hard to see a way out.
“It was all so depressing but the fact we have our freedom back now, thanks to the amazing discoveries that were made, is nothing short of miraculous. I found it incredibly moving.”
While the worst of the pandemic may be behind us, Davina says we still owe our health heroes a huge thank you.
She added: “Everyone involved in health endured so many hardships during that time yet here they are still caring for us.
‘NEVER FORGET KINDNESS’
“Who Cares Wins is a small way we can start to repay that enormous debt of gratitude.”
Like so many of us, Davina treasures memories of times the NHS has been there for her and her family.
There is one nurse in particular who was at her side when she found out her beloved sister Caroline had terminal cancer in summer 2012. Caroline sadly died a few weeks later on August 1, aged just 50.
Davina says: “We took my sister to A&E because we thought she’d had a stroke, but when she was admitted she was given a terminal diagnosis.
“They said she had cancer and it had spread.
“Hearing those words I couldn’t breathe — I felt like I was suffocating. I went out into the corridor and this amazing nurse just stood with me for a moment, talked to me, and she was just this amazing presence.
“I will never forget her kindness — she was so busy and I wasn’t even a patient, but she knew I really needed someone.
“I’ve seen her since when I took one of my kids in when he fell off a swing, and we said hello — knowing I had shared with her one of the most intense moments of her life.”
More recently, Davina relied on paramedics to help her when she twisted her foot while out for a walk in the woods last November.
She was left with painful swelling around her right ankle and heavy bruising around her toes after tripping on a tree root while walking her dog. At the time, she feared she wouldn’t be able to get out of the woods because it was too painful to walk.
She said: “I was meant to be doing The Masked Dancer the next day. I was in so much pain, I was on the phone to the paramedics basically making giving birth noises, not making sense because I was sort of out of it on adrenaline.
“But the paramedic was so calm, so reassuring, and it’s thanks to her that I got out of there.
“Obviously it’s not a life-or-death situation but I think we’ve all had these little moments with the NHS where that little bit of kindness really helps you through.
“These people never expect thanks but they totally deserve it.”
‘AMAZING PEOPLE’
Nominations are now closed for our awards and our panel of judges will soon start whittling down the incredible stories into the most deserving finalists.
This year, they will do so remembering our friend and colleague Deborah James, who was a judge for many years and launched 2022’s awards before she died of bowel cancer aged 40 on June 28.
Davina said: “Deborah was so passionate about these awards because they reflected everything that was important to her.
“She said she was in awe of the amazing army of people who treated her, and she really believed in saying a big thank you.
“And she always loved the opportunity to get dressed up and have a dance too! We’ll miss her so much this year but what an incredible tribute to a firecracker of a woman the awards will be.”
Over the coming weeks, we will be revealing more details about this year’s show.
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And Davina says she cannot wait to share the stories of our amazing nominees.
She said: “I’m enormously proud to host this show, which recognises some of the most amazing people on the planet. They’re always so humble but that’s why we must salute them, give them an incredible evening and a whole lot of love.”
'WE CAN'T WAIT TO CELEBRATE'
THE Sun is partnering with NHS Charities Together to celebrate our health heroes at the awards.
Our generous readers have raised more than £1 million for their work supporting NHS workers.
Ellie Orton, chief executive of NHS Charities Together, said: “It’s a privilege and an honour to be part of something as special as the Who Cares Wins awards, and we’re delighted to partner with The Sun for another year of this wonderful event.
“We all have personal reasons to be thankful to our NHS and the incredible individuals behind it – and the Who Cares Wins awards show exactly how much they mean to us as a nation.
“We can’t wait to celebrate this year’s nominees, and give our heartfelt thanks for their heroic work.
Attendees in 2021 included Prince William, David Beckham and Frank Lampard[/caption]
Even the then Prime Minister Boris Johnson was in the crowd[/caption]
Sun columnist Ulrika Jonsson wipes away a tear[/caption]
Waheed Arian had fled Afghanistan as a child, only to go on to qualify as a doctor and set up a charity that helps medics in war zones[/caption]
Waheed has been a Man United fan since he was a kid and was given his reward by David Beckham[/caption]
In 2021, Christine Flack, mother of the late Caroline, presented the Caroline Flack Mental Health Hero award[/caption]
Nurse Jackie Brunton won best nurse and collected her award with daughter Jessica[/caption]
The Ultimate Lifesavers award was presented to Michael Odewole and Ola Adewole[/caption]
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