‘It means everything’: Kate on Derek, her kids & how Covid changed us all
Kate Garraway opens up again on Derek’s ‘devastating’ fight, her kids – and offers her support to all those who feel ‘forgotten’…
Emotional ITV presenter Kate Garraway dedicated her recent National Television Award to husband Derek Draper who was – as she spoke – at home, still recovering from the damage done to his body by Covid-19.
The 54-year-old won the award for her documentary, Finding Derek, which gave full access to her home, while her husband was on a ventilator, his life – quite literally – hanging in the balance.
Derek, also 54, a former political lobbyist, spent more than a year in hospital battling to recover, spending months in intensive care and, at one point, being put into a coma.
Kate’s win was greeted with a standing ovation as she took to the stage to thank producers.
‘They didn’t know whether they were making a story about bereavement or a triumph,’ she said. ‘It ended up being something between the two.’
Directly referencing the couple’s children, Darcey, 15, and Billy, 12 – and anyone else affected by the pandemic – Kate reminded them, they were not forgotten.
‘Thank you so much for voting. I wonder if the reason why you did is because our story is your story. We’ve all been touched by the pandemic, whether its livelihoods or mental health.
‘ We want the joy back, we want it to be over, but if you’re still living with the scars, the fight goes on.’
Her voice starting to crack, Kate continued, ‘Derek should have been here to tell his own story. Derek, you’re going to get the chance, believe.’
Talking on GMB days later, the mum-of-two admitted that her award ‘means everything’ – and revealed she was planning another documentary, to follow up on family life since Derek’s return to their newlyadapted home in April, where he has been receiving round-theclock care.
Kate admitted that finding time to shoot a new documentary could prove difficult, given her husband’s challenging condition.
Heartbreakingly, she recently revealed Derek is currently sleeping up to ‘20 hours a day’.
‘ We are going to make another documentary – there are plans for more. Derek has a very short window of energy, but we are trying. He has been home for four months now and it was enough for him being home.’
In Kate’s own words, ‘ belief’ is the way forward. Here’s to a new and, hopefully, brighter chapter for this brave family.
‘We want the joy back, we want it to be over’