Davina McCall has revealed her eldest daughter plans on enrolling at university in September, as the global coronavirus pandemic throws the higher education sector into turmoil.
The mother of three tweeted her family’s plans on Tuesday, after a friend revealed they were debating whether to defer their teenager’s university place for a year.
Cambridge University announced this week that all lectures in the 2020/21 academic year will take place online, with other universities expected to announce their own measures in the coming weeks.
Tough decisions: Davina McCall is revealed her eldest daughter plans on enrolling at university in September, entering the debate on whether students should defer places
Davina responded to a tweet from Lorraine Candy, Editor-in-chief of the Sunday Times Style Magazine, as she told her followers:
‘Long long discussions in this house about Uni this September. To defer or not? Feeling very sorry for the class of 2020 – all our young A Level students in the UK who’ve got little to look forward to now and huge decisions to make. Hard to see an upside.’
Davina revealed that her daughter Holly, 18, who she shares with ex husband Matthew Robertson, had decided to stick to her plans, tweeting:
‘Mine going in September. It will be very competitive next year ?’.
Making plans: The mother of three tweeted her eldest daughter Holly’s plans on Tuesday, after a friend revealed they were debating whether to defer their child’s university place for a year
Davina’s tweet came just hours after Cambridge University became the first university in the world to axe all face-to-face lectures until summer 2021 due to ‘rigid social distancing.’
Britain’s second oldest university said Tuesday that because social distancing appeared to be likely to continue for a long time, ‘there will be no face-to-face lectures during the next academic year.’
The institution, which prides itself on academic rigour, did not say how it would continue to maintain the highest standards with students kept at range.
Family: Davina shares custody of Holly, 18, Tilly, 16, and 13-year old Chester with ex Matthew Robertson (pictured in 2016)
Other universities, including Oxford, Edinburgh and Cardiff, are planning a mixture of on-campus and remote lectures from the start of the academic year.
Almost all campuses have been closed since April, offering classes online, and graduating students have been notified there will be no traditional ceremonies this summer.
Davina shares custody of Holly, 18, Tilly, 16, and 13-year old Chester with ex Matthew, but has admitted recently that she’s struggled with home-schooling her teenagers during lockdown.
Hard time: The TV presenter admitted recently that she’s struggled with home-schooling her teenagers during lockdown
Addressing her 1.2 million followers in a short video earlier this month, the TV presenter said: ‘In the interest of transparency I just thought I’d let you know I’ve had one of those mornings where I’ve shouted at my children.
‘And I’ve cried – a lot – and thought to myself my God what’s happened to you? Who are you? And then laughed a little bit, and even laughed with my kids, who I shouted at.’
The presenter also revealed she had made an attempt to distract herself from self-reflection by applying make-up – with decidedly mixed results.
She added: ‘It’s a rollercoaster, this thing. So, I’ve put some lipstick on. I mean, I’d like to say it’s helping but it’s not. But I feel OK – I mean I’m OK, I’m not going mad… well, maybe a bit.’
Opening up: ‘ just thought I’d let you know I’ve had one of those mornings where I’ve shouted at my children, and I’ve cried – a lot – and thought to myself my God what’s happened to you? she told fans earlier this month
The video comes after Davina admitted lockdown had left her feeling anxiety for the first time in her life.
Taking to Instagram Live to discuss her ‘headspace’ in April, she admitted to feeling uncertain about ‘the unknown’ as the coronavirus pandemic rages on.
‘Generally, I would almost class myself as annoyingly chipper. And i know that everyone is a bit like marmite,’ Davina said.
‘My enthusiasm and positivity can be phenomenally annoying to a lot of people. But it is what I am and it is who I am.
Making an effort: The presenter also revealed she had made an attempt to distract herself from self-reflection by applying make-up – with decidedly mixed results
‘When work stopped four weeks ago I fired off all cylinders for four days. And then I hit a wall. And I suddenly got tired and unmotivated.
‘The last two days I got a wave of anxiety about the unknown that I have never ever experienced before, and it really freaked me out!’
She added: ‘I am feeling a bit better today. I think, like me, people are having waves [of anxiety].’
Ups and downs: ‘It’s a roller-coaster, this thing. So, I’ve put some lipstick on. I mean, I’d like to say it’s helping but it’s not,’ she added