Kate Garraway gives update on family life after death of husband Derek Draper

Draper died earlier this month after a heartbreaking battle with long Covid

Kate Garraway and her family are in the “next stages” of grieving for the TV presenter’s husband Derek Draper, who died earlier this month.

The Good Morning Britain host confirmed that “my darling husband” had died after a heartbreaking battle with long Covid in a statement on Instagram last Friday (5 January). A former political lobbyist, Draper was 56.

Garraway, who spent the last four years caring for Draper, thanked her fans for their unwavering support through what has been an incredibly tough journey in a video message during Monday’s episode of the show.

Her co-host Ben Shephard reiterated that Garraway was beyond grateful for the outpouring of love for her family as they navigated a world without Draper – who she was married to for 18 years – on Thursday’s episode (11 January) of the show.

He also shared a poignant conversation between Garraway and her 17-year-old daughter Darcey about registering Draper’s death.

Shephard said: “They are in the next stages of working out what happens; there’s a lot of admin to do when you lose someone. In that brilliant way yesterday, she said, ‘I have to go out to go and register the death’.

“She told Darcey, ‘I’m going to have to go out the house’, and Darcey said, ‘I know this is going to be really hard but can I make one suggestion?’

“She says, ‘course you can darling’. And then Darcey said, ‘Can you take the Christmas jumper off and can you brush your hair?’” the TV host narrated.

He added: “[Garraway] said to me the clocks stopped for us just before Christmas when Derek had that heart attack and she’s just starting to come out of that.

“We all know that Kate in the run up to Christmas wears a new Christmas jumper every day, she supports the charity. And suddenly she realises yesterday that everything has been frozen in time since then.

Kate Garraway hosts ‘GMB’ with Ben Shephard (ITV / Twitter)

“So now it’s about the next part of his journey,” Shephard told GMB viewers.

Earlier this week, Garraway announced she would take a leave of absence from her presenting roles, including on GMB, after Draper’s death.

The presenter, who hosts GMB and her own show on Smooth Radio, plans to return to work in the future, according to the PA news agency.

Garraway announced that Draper, who contracted Covid-19 during the early days of the pandemic, had died after becoming “critically ill” early in December last year.

Her statement read: “I’m sad to have to tell you all that my darling husband Derek has passed away.

“As some of you may know he has been critically ill following a cardiac arrest in early December which, because of the damage inflicted by Covid in March 2020, led to further complications.

“Derek was surrounded by his family in his final days and I was by his side holding his hand throughout the last long hours and when he passed.”

Tony Blair, Elton John, Gordon Brown, former Labour spin doctor Alastair Campbell, and Lorraine Kelly led the tributes to Draper.

Blair described the Labour adviser as a ruthless political operative and “an important part of the New Labour story”, while Brown remembered him as a “brilliant, creative and multitalented” man.

Shephard also shared a heartfelt tribute to Draper on Instagram, including a picture of Garraway kissing him on the cheek.

“On what has been the saddest of days, Kate Garraway, I’ve been reminding myself of the wonderful times and memories we have all shared together,” he wrote.

“This is how I’ll always think of Derek – bringing you so much joy, your smile says it all, the size of which is matched only by his love for you, Darcey and Bill.”

Draper is survived by Garraway, Darcey, and his son, Billy, 14.