Latest news with #DaviniaTaylor
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Davinia Taylor, 47, claims infrared saunas 'saved her life' after she gave up her wild lifestyle for sobriety and biohacking
Davinia Taylor has claimed infrared saunas 'saved her life' after she gave up her wild lifestyle for sobriety and biohacking. In a revealing and unfiltered conversation, the actress and self-described 'biohacker' sat down with the Mail's Bryony Gordon on The Life of Bryony podcast, to discuss her transformation from party girl to wellness advocate. The former Hollyoaks star, 47, opens up about addiction, recovery, motherhood, and her unorthodox health rituals - sharing eyebrow-raising insights into the world of hormone hacking, infrared saunas, and the 'real' causes of brain fog. Davinia, known for her candid social media presence and passion for alternative health, speaks with the same boldness here—claiming certain wellness routines have saved her life and even reversed ageing. With a tone that's equal parts entertaining and controversial, this is one of the most outspoken episodes yet. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Discussing her battle with stress and sobriety, Davinia said she now sits in a £200 infrared sauna nightly to detox her liver and mimic the relaxing effects of wine Discussing her battle with stress and sobriety, Davinia said she now sits in a £200 infrared sauna nightly to detox her liver and mimic the relaxing effects of wine. She explained: 'I sit in there… have some activated charcoal or something, do a proper detox… go to bed, you'll wake up tip-top.' Admitting that wine was her 'drug of choice' she explained: 'I really hit right bottom kind of early doors really. 'I was very much white wine. And drinking. White wine vodka, beer didn't get me as much, but I would take that on a very last course of action. 'And weirdly, nicotine didn't get me either. As soon as I put the drink down, nicotine didn't. 'So I was pretty lucky with that accessibility because alcohol is really accessible, drugs and all. 'So it was pretty easy to access my drug of choice, which was why, why, particularly when Tesco is open 24/7.' 'Addiction is not a choice, by the way. It's a body's way of coping with a certain situation.' PODCAST: Join Bryony Gordon (and a special guest) for your weekly dose of therapy, minus the couch. Listen to all episodes HERE The actress continued: 'And boom, like I said earlier, it's an evil use when we miss match. So for me to be exposed to so much alcohol was just catastrophic for me. 'However, it fast-tracked me into rock bottom and then got me sober very early in life.' Davinia was famed for her position in the notorious Primrose Hill party set, where she joined her then-husband Dave Gardner in partying through the Nineties with pals including Kate Moss, Sadie Frost and Jude Law. After embracing sobriety 16-years ago, becoming a fitness guru and turning her focus to biohacking, Davinia now boasts a bio-age of 26. Biohacking involves making small, strategic scientific-backed changes to habits and behaviours to improve things like cognitive function and weight management. She continued: 'It's like, the body wants to heal. It wants to survive. It doesn't want to punish you. 'It's not judgmental. It's like, f***, okay, we've got rid of that addictive or that inflammatory ingredient, be it food, be it gambling, be it behaviours, be it alcohol, be it drugs, whatever. 'We've got rid of it. Now let's quickly repair and let's crack on with what we were meant to do, which is thrive.' The Life of Bryony: Your twice weekly dose of therapy, minus the couch. Listen wherever you get your podcasts now. 'I was convinced that because of all the drinking and drugging and eating disorders and just the terrible ways over the years. 'And the stress and the stress and depression. Yeah, lack of sleep and all that, yeah. OCD, all of that. 'I was convinced that my biological age would be around about 156. And it blew my mind. Lo and behold told me my biological age was 26.' Ever feel like life is a bit…too much? Bestselling author and journalist Bryony Gordon is here to ditch the shame and dive headfirst into life's messier bits.
The Sun
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Hollyoaks star Davinia Taylor lashes out at ‘scumbags' who robbed THREE cars from outside her home
HOLLYOAKS star Davinia Taylor has lashed out at the 'scumbags' who robbed three cars from outside her home in the middle of the night. The former soap star, 47, took to Instagram to share an angry video revealing the family car and two of her husband Matthew's own vehicles had been "nicked" 6 6 Davinia revealed the cars were stolen in the middle of the night as she appealed to people from her local area in Lancashire to watch out for any of the vehicles being sold on. In the video post, Davina said: "So at 2.30am last night, some guys came and nicked mine and Matthew's cars. "Family car, Matt's cars. I've got two pictures of them and then I've got a video of them robbing it. "But I'm just wondering if anyone in the Blackburn/Clitheroe/Lancashire area clocks these cars or if someone tries to sell you them, they're stolen. "What a wonderful, wonderful way to start half term. Scum. Scumbags everywhere." She captioned the clip: "Still waiting on a crime reference number @lancspolice. "Btw I smashed up the back of the Audi last year so it's by no means a bargain whatsoever!!!!!!!!!!!!! "Wtf is up with people. Dirty little rats (sorry rats)." Fans were quick to respond with messages of support and one said: "Oh my god! What is wrong with people! Sending you all the love. Argh, I'm so angry for you! " Another added: "Sorry to hear that!" Axed Hollyoaks star reveals she's now a pole dancing teacher as she shows off her moves in thong and high heels While another said: "Happening all the time!! Four in an estate over the last couple of weeks here in Hertfordshire- it's so bad!! "They'll have plates off and it'll prob be abroad by now." And a fourth added: "I really sympathise! Our car was stolen off our drive at 3am the night before NYE. "Luckily I was awake (something was definitely telling me not to sleep) I reported it straight away, they caught them, arrested them, then released them and still nothings been done! "They found spare number plates in our car and they'd infiltrated our wifi so our Ring doorbell caught nothing. "Car was written off and we're out of pocket because of it! Still makes me mad thinking about it!" The news comes days after Davina won her battle to turn a barn into a gym and health spa at her historic country home. Davinia, 47, played Jude Cunningham in Hollyoaks and is also a former party girl and member of the Primrose Hill set, having previously been married to David Beckham 's pal Dave Gardner. She and husband Matthew Leyden bought their historic country home four years ago after it came onto the market for the first time in years. Last week, Davina also opened up about her former party life and revealed that if she had "one more drink, she could have died." 6 6 6
Daily Mail
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Davinia Taylor reveals her and partner Matthew Leyden's cars have been stolen by 'scumbags' as she appeals for help
Davinia Taylor has revealed that her and her partner Matthew Leyden's cars were stolen in the middle of the night. The former Hollyoaks star, 47, took to Instagram to share a furious video on Monday revealing the family car and two of Matthew's own vehicles had been 'nicked'. Davinia revealed the cars were stolen in the middle of the night as she appealed to people from her local area in Lancashire to watch out for any of the vehicles being sold on. 'So at 2.30am last night, some guys came and nicked mine and Matthew's cars,' Davinia raged. Family car, Matt's cars. I've got two pictures of them and then I've got a video of them robbing it. 'But I'm just wondering if anyone in the Blackburn/Clitheroe/Lancashire area clocks these cars or if someone tries to sell you them, they're stolen. What a wonderful, wonderful way to start half term. Scum. Scumbags everywhere.' From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Davinia Taylor has revealed that her and her partner Matthew Leyden's cars were stolen in the middle of the night She captioned the clip: 'Still waiting on a crime reference number @lancspolice. Btw I smashed up the back of the Audi last year so it's by no means a bargain whatsoever!!!!!!!!!!!!! 'Wtf is up with people. Dirty little rats (sorry rats).' She shared photos of a BMW and an Audi as she asked fans to keep an eye out. It comes days after Davinia, who is Kate Moss's party pal, revealed that if she had 'one more drink, she could have died' as she opened up about her former party life. The former actress, who ditched the party scene to live a healthy life style, has confessed that she kept drinking through her 20s until she hit rock bottom. Davinia was famed for her position in the notorious Primrose Hill party set, where she joined her then-husband Dave Gardner in partying through the Nineties with pals including Kate Moss, Sadie Frost and Jude Law. And now, Davinia, who has been sober for 17 years after battling alcohol addiction, has become a fitness guru and credits 'biohacking' for her 'biological age of 20'. Chatting to the Sun, Davinia explained that she 'flatlined' and was drinking to survive rather than for enjoyment. She captioned the clip: ' Still waiting on a crime reference number @lancspolice. Btw I smashed up the back of the Audi last year so it's by no means a bargain whatsoever!!!!!!!!!!!!!' Davinia revealed the cars were stolen in the middle of the night as she appealed to people from her local area in Lancashire to watch out for any of the vehicles being sold on She told the publication: 'I was constantly hungover, riddled with anxiety, and alcohol didn't work for me any more. 'Not even a glass of red wine would lift me. 'I was shown these awful videos of myself drunk, and numerous times I was told by doctors, 'one more drink will kill you'. Biohacking involves making small, strategic scientific-backed changes to habits and behaviors to improve things like cognitive function and weight management. Davina ditched her party girl ways in favour of a cleaner existence, after a 12-week rehab stint in South Africa where she was eventually able to kick her habits. The former actress described her battle with alcoholism as a an 'eternal hell', because she knew she shouldn't be drinking but was in a heavy period of withdrawal Once she got clean, Davinia said she became addicted to other areas of life, such as eating when she gained 'stones', before eventually finding a happier balance. She shares son Grey, 17, with Dave, and Luxx, 13, whose father has never been revealed, and Asa, six, and Jude, seven, with her partner Matthew. Davinia was famed for her position in the notorious Primrose Hill party set, where she joined her then-husband Dave Gardner in partying through the Nineties with pals including Kate Moss, Sadie Frost and Jude Law (pictured in 2003) Davinia recently told The Sun how she wishes her mother, who died in 2013, could see the woman she has become. She said: 'For her to see me now, as a mother – happy, settled and not needing the fineries to support my ego – would have made her really proud.' At one point in her life, Davinia faced a custody battle and was suicidal, however, now she said her old self would not have been able to recognise the woman she is today. Explaining why her younger years were so wild, Davinia said that she has a high dopamine drive, meaning the impulsiveness to do things to feel alive was stronger. She said that this is a classic symptom of ADHD, but that it is not as widely diagnosed in women as it is in men. 'A girl with ADHD will be referred to as 'Dolly Daydream', and that was me,' she said. 'I'm hoping over the next few years that a lot of women my age realise they can get help for it now – it's not too late.'
Daily Mirror
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Soap icon devastated over mum's cancer death - 'I'll never get over it'
After losing her mother 12 years ago, Davinia Taylor couldn't bear the thought of dying young and leaving her four sons early, so she transformed her diet and lifestyle to ensure she'll be healthy for decades to come Ten years ago, Davinia Taylor felt old before her time. 'Bearing in mind I hadn't drunk for five years, I felt hungover, sluggish, I had no self-esteem and no get-up-and-go,' she says. 'Life was like walking through quicksand.' So the Hollyoaks actress changed her diet and lifestyle, dramatically transforming her physical and mental wellbeing, which, in turn, sparked a passion for health and wellness that inspired her 2021 book It's Not A Diet and Hack Your Hormones in 2023. And the results are startling. Davinia, now 47, has discovered – thanks to a GlycanAge blood test that identifies chronic inflammation – that she has a biological age of 20. 'I feel better than I ever did in my teens, twenties or thirties,' she says. 'Internally, you could be ageing ferociously and you don't even know it.' In fact, she reports that the average woman in England and Wales spends 23% of her life in poor health. That's the statistic that prompted her shift of focus towards the idea of 'healthspan' – the number of years we spend in good health – rather than just lifespan. 'Research shows only 25% of differences in lifespan is down to genetics. The rest is down to what we do,' she says. Already a wellness entrepreneur with her own supplements brand, WillPowders, Davinia has now done a deep dive into the world of health longevity and the result is Futureproof: Build Resilience, Feel Younger, Live Longer, which distils extensive in-depth research into a game-changing, accessible wellbeing bible that she hopes can help women everywhere. Davinia may seem like an unlikely health guru. A former party girl who was part of the 90s Primrose Hill set, she socialised with Kate Moss and Sadie Frost, and married first husband Dave Gardner, David Beckham's best friend. Life looks very different today. Happily wed to builder Matthew Leyden, she has four sons aged nine to 17. Davinia has been sober for 16 years and practises what she preaches, following the science to stay fit, healthy and active for as long as she possibly can. And it's clearly working – she glows with health and has an enviable line-free complexion that is testament to her lifestyle. But while many are motivated by vanity, Davinia is driven by something more profound – her mother's death from cancer at the age of 60. 'That was 12 years ago and it's still too much for me to deal with,' she says. 'I'll never get over it. And I'm coming up to my 50th. If I think about my boys going through losing me, not having a grandmother for their children and everything I'd miss out on... suddenly mortality is very much on my radar.' One of Davinia's key discoveries was that her supposedly 'healthy' low-fat diet was having a disastrous impact on her wellbeing. 'After my mum passed away, I didn't realise that I was eating unhealthily. I was eating five or six portions of wholegrains a day, a low-fat diet and not much meat.' But she felt hopelessly lethargic. 'If I was going to the supermarket, I'd always park in the mother-and-baby space. And if there wasn't a space, I'd drive home.' Then she learned that her brain was insulin resistant, due to over-exposure to sugar. She addressed this by taking a tablespoon of MCT oil (a type of easily digested fat), which boosted her brain energy and reduced hunger pangs. She also changed what she eats. 'My diet is very meat heavy now. Meat and two veg makes sense, that's what we evolved on. I have a super-high calorie intake because I've got such a high-fat diet. But it's not about calories, it's about the nutrition you're getting that will stop you snacking.' Her ideal snack, though, isn't 'a handful of nuts and a corner of dark chocolate', she was a crisps and mint Aero girl, so making these changes didn't come naturally. She explains, 'We've had our palates hijacked by the five big companies that make 95% of our snacks – but you can hijack them back. I don't get cravings any more, unless I'm due on my period or something stressful has happened – even then, I'll crave a big sandwich, not a mint Aero.' And she's determined to help others do the same. 'Growing numbers of people are dying of chronic diseases,' she says. 'We're living longer, but we're living worse.' Futureproof: Build Resilience, Feel Younger, Live Longer by Davinia Taylor (Orion Spring), £16.99, is out now How to stay forever young Davinia Taylor's simple tips for slowing down ageing, boosting energy and feeling great: EAT FOR VITALITY Most age-related diseases are linked to chronic inflammation, and processed food is a key cause – cut it out. Reduce your intake of sugary foods. Try intermittent fasting – eating all your meals between 11am and 7pm – as it repairs and regenerates cells. Plan meals around protein. It curbs cravings by steadying blood sugar and supports muscle growth. GET STRONGER People who move more live longer. Just 90 minutes each week can reduce your risk of dying from all causes by 14%. I run daily for 20 minutes – not to lose weight, but to help my brain. ○ Join a gym and build muscle. CALM DOWN Alcohol might feel like instant relief, but you won't get deep sleep and your anxiety will fly up the next day. Ditch the 'treat yourself' mentality (sugar is linked to anxiety) and get outside. Enjoy sunlight, exercise and connection.
Daily Mail
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Hollyoaks star Davinia Taylor 'wins planning battle to give her £1.7million rural mansion a luxury makeover after bio hazard discovery'
Hollyoaks star Davinia Taylor has reportedly won a planning battle to give her £1.7million a makeover. The actress, 47, bought the rural retreat with her husband Matthew Leyden four years ago. And now she has got the go ahead to transform the mansion into a gym and health spa amid her move to a bio-hacking lifestyle. Davinia is set to convert a derelict barn at the sprawling property into a mini wellness treat featuring a gym, sauna and two spa treatment rooms. The barn, which used to be stables, will also be kitted out with a lobby for checking in guests, staff areas and even an en-suite bedroom for one employee who will help run it. But there could be a problem to contend with, after a bat survey held before the development kicked off found that a protected species of bat, pipistrelle bats, had flown into the barn. The Wildlife and Countryside Act says it is an offence to intentionally or recklessly harm or disturb pipistrelle bats, so Davinia will have to install bat boxes on the barn and nearby trees if she wants to go ahead with the development. According to The Sun, an ecologist report read: 'Due to the transient nature of bats, their presence can never be entirely ruled out and a precautionary method of working should be adopted. 'Therefore if bats are found during any stage of the development, work should stop immediately and a suitably qualified ecologist should be contacted to seek further advice.' It comes days after Davinia revealed that if she had 'one more drink, she could have died' as she opened up about her former party life. The former actress, who ditched the party scene to live a healthy life style, has confessed that she kept drinking through her 20s until she hit rock bottom. Davinia was famed for her position in the notorious Primrose Hill party set, where she joined her then-husband Dave Gardner in partying through the Nineties with pals including Kate Moss, Sadie Frost and Jude Law. And now, Davinia, who has been sober for 17 years after battling alcohol addiction, has become a fitness guru and credits 'biohacking' for her 'biological age of 20'. Chatting to the Sun, Davinia explained that she 'flatlined' and was drinking to survive rather than for enjoyment. She told the publication: 'I was constantly hungover, riddled with anxiety, and alcohol didn't work for me any more. 'Not even a glass of red wine would lift me. 'I was shown these awful videos of myself drunk, and numerous times I was told by doctors, 'one more drink will kill you'. Biohacking involves making small, strategic scientific-backed changes to habits and behaviors to improve things like cognitive function and weight management. Davina ditched her party girl ways in favour of a cleaner existence, after a 12-week rehab stint in South Africa where she was eventually able to kick her habits. The former actress described her battle with alcoholism as a an 'eternal hell', because she knew she shouldn't be drinking but was in a heavy period of withdrawal Once she got clean, Davinia said she became addicted to other areas of life, such as eating when she gained 'stones', before eventually finding a happier balance. She shares son Grey, 17, with Dave, and Luxx, 13, whose father has never been revealed, and Asa, six, and Jude, seven, with her partner Matthew Leyden. Davinia recently told The Sun how she wishes her mother, who died in 2013, could see the woman she has become. She said: 'For her to see me now, as a mother – happy, settled and not needing the fineries to support my ego – would have made her really proud.' At one point in her life, Davinia faced a custody battle and was suicidal, however, now she said her old self would not have been able to recognise the woman she is today. Explaining why her younger years were so wild, Davinia said that she has a high dopamine drive, meaning the impulsiveness to do things to feel alive was stronger. She said that this is a classic symptom of ADHD, but that it is not as widely diagnosed in women as it is in men. 'A girl with ADHD will be referred to as 'Dolly Daydream', and that was me,' she said. 'I'm hoping over the next few years that a lot of women my age realise they can get help for it now – it's not too late.'
