Davina McCall, Myleene Klass and Twiggy have joined a string of names proving that you can still thrive in midlife, as they make up the first ever HELLO! Second Act Power List.
This collective of women, spanning television, fashion, sport, philanthropy, literature, beauty and activism, take centre stage on a stunning cover shoot, cementing their status as role models for a new generation.
Headlining the list is HELLO!’s Second Act hero Davina, who on Saturday shared she’d been diagnosed with breast cancer, just a year after undergoing surgery on a benign brain tumour.
She’s joined by a host of legendary women including Twiggy, Myleene, Dame Denise Lewis, Dame Kelly Holmes, Marie Helvin, Mariella Frostrup, Tanya Moodie, Jo Wood, Ruby Hammer, Susannah Constantine, Amanda Wakeley, and Amber Nuttall.
The Power List was unveiled at an exclusive celebration at Sartoria Launceston Place, the latest opening from The EVOLV Collection, where influential women gathered for an unforgettable night of fun and inspiration.
From empowering speeches to a packed dancefloor, the evening encapsulated everything HELLO!’s Second Act stands for: independence, reinvention and unapologetic self-belief.
Davina McCall, Myleene Klass and Twiggy are among stars showing that life doesn’t stop when you turn 40, as they join the first ever HELLO! Second Act Power List (L-R Davina, Denise Lewis, Twiggy, Myleene, Kelly Holmes, Mariella Frostrup, Michelle Griffith-Robinson, Ruby Hammer, Amanda Wakeley, Susanna Constantine, Marie Helvin, Jo Wood, Kathy Lette, Tanya Moodie)
This first-of-its-kind Powerlist celebrates women who are not just embracing their Second Act but owning it.
Whether through activism, artistry, reinvention or leadership, each honouree embodies the message that life after 40, 50, 60 and beyond can be the most vibrant chapter yet.
Guests were greeted on arrival with mini bottles of Piaff Champagne — sipped bespoke cocktails such as Jo Vodka’s Blackberry Jo-jito and Apple Old Fashioned, alongside trays of Margot Robbie’s Papa Salt Coastal Gin martinis, while Sartoria Launcenston Place served up canapés including truffle arancini, beef tartare and burrata and anchovy tartlets.
Among those lighting up the room were The Marchioness of Bath Emma Thynn, Glynis Barber, Tessy Ojo, Adele Parks, Jenny Stoute, Jo Good, Donna Ida, Jo Glynn-Smith, and Nadia Alibhai.
Davina delivered a rousing speech celebrating women’s power and resilience, followed by author Kathy Lette.
Kathy urged guests to ‘hit the dancefloor with panache’ – a call enthusiastically answered as Dame Denise Lewis led the crowd in a choreographed Candy dance routine, while Dame Kelly Holmes later joined Mi-Soul DJs Lorraine Ashdown and Janice Vee on the decks to the crowd’s delight.
HELLO!’s Chief Content Officer Sophie Vokes-Dudgeon also delivered a heartfelt speech highlighting the community behind the Second Act.
She shared why the Power List is such an important milestone saying: ‘HELLO! is committed to reframing the conversation around midlife.
Headlining the list is HELLO!’s Second Act hero Davina, who on Saturday shared she’d been diagnosed with breast cancer, just a year after undergoing surgery on a benign brain tumour
The Power List was unveiled at an exclusive celebration at Sartoria Launceston Place, where influential women gathered for an unforgettable night of fun and inspiration
Twiggy, 76, one of the 60s most iconic supermodels, reflected on a life of embracing new adventures, saying: ‘You’ve got to have faith and believe… I only do the things I want to do’
Dame Kelly Holmes, 55, also shared the liberation of living authentically adding: ‘You get to an age where you think: ”I know me now… You matter to yourself”’
‘Once seen as a time when women became invisible, the beginning of the end, we now see midlife as an exciting new start, an opportunity to reset ambitions, renew priorities, and take stock of life, with the powerful perspective of lived experience.
‘This list is a celebration of the incredible leaps forward that have been taken, to allow women the confidence to create the Second Act they want for themselves — and to ensure the rest of the world is behind them as they embark on this exciting new chapter.’
Throughout the evening, honourees spoke candidly about empowerment, identity and the freedom that comes with life’s next chapter, with Davina’s words proving the most poignant in the wake of her cancer diagnosis.
She said: ‘I feel like my life started at 50, and I think that what mother nature takes away in terms of youth and bearing children ability she gives you back in wisdom.’
Twiggy, 76, known as one of the 60s most iconic supermodels, reflected on a life of embracing new adventures, saying: ‘You’ve got to have faith and believe… I only do the things I want to do.’
Myleene Klass, 47, spoke about turning pain into purpose after campaigning for change in miscarriage law, declaring: ‘My superpower isn’t just endurance — it’s transformation.’
For Denise Lewis, 53, she described her later years as a ‘second act’ after confirming she’d split from her husband Steve Finan after 17 years of marriage.
She said: ‘I’m loving my second act – I feel like I can do anything.’
Dame Kelly Holmes, 55, also shared the liberation of living authentically adding: ‘You get to an age where you think: ”I know me now… You matter to yourself.”’
On Saturday, Davina shared the news that she’d been diagnosed with breast cancer, but was saved from a potentially devastating fate thanks to a poster warning of the signs of breast cancer.
She shared how she was ‘sitting on the loo’ when she found the lump whilst checking herself after being urged to by posters put up by Lorraine Kelly and her daytime show.
Davina had spotted the signs inside ITV headquarters that encouraged women to ‘check their boobs’.
The poster illustrates what women should be checking for and says: ‘If you notice anything unusual see your doctor or nurse as soon as possible.’
It also carries an eye-grabbing large message at the top, reading: ‘SAVE YOUR LIFE in the time it takes to get changed.’
In her video message announcing the diagnosis, Davina stressed her cancer had been caught ‘very very early’ but would still require five days of radiotherapy in January as an ‘insurance policy’ to remain cancer free.
She said: ‘So I underwent a biopsy and it was indeed breast cancer and I had it taken out in a lumpectomy nearly three weeks ago.’
On Saturday, Davina shared the news that she’d been diagnosed with breast cancer, and ha undergone surgery after finding a lump in her breast while filming The Masked Singer
Davina went on to discuss the results of her surgery and how doctors had now given her the all clear.
The former Big Brother host went on: ‘It was very very small so I got it very very early, which is incredibly lucky, but I am so relieved that I have had it removed and that it hasn’t spread.’
She thanked the doctors and nurses as well as her family and fiancé Michael Douglas before admitting: ‘I was very angry when I found out, but I let go of that and I feel in a much more positive place now.’
Davina captioned the clip: ‘The message here, is know your boobs. Notice any changes. Don’t procrastinate. Get your free checkups. And never ignore a niggle. Sending out huge love.’
The star had first revealed her diagnosis during a charity her Dine With Davina charity event which left the gathered crowd gasping.
She said: ‘Lorraine Kelly had put signs on the backs of all the doors saying ‘check your breasts’ and every time I went for a wee I did that.
‘It was still there, and then one morning I saw myself in the mirror and thought ‘I’m going to get that looked at’.’
Following the announcement fans and famous friends rushed to the comments to the star the star their best wishes.
Davina announced in November 2024 that she had been diagnosed with a colloid cyst, a rare type of benign brain tumour.
And, after a gruelling six-hour operation to remove the 14mm cyst from her brain, she revealed she was cancer-free.
