Kate Garraway still 'in early stages of grief' after husband Derek Draper's death in January
Kate Garraway has opened up about spending her first Christmas without husband Derek Draper in a candid moment on Good Morning Britain's Christmas special. The broadcaster lost her husband in January when he passed away aged 56 after a devastating three year battle with Covid-19.
He left behind Kate and their two children; Darcey, 18, and 15-year-old Billy. And in the pre-recorded Christmas episode of Good Morning Britain, which airs from 7am on Christmas morning, Kate opened up on her first Christmas without Derek while chatting with co-hosts Susanna Reid and Ed Balls.
In a segment shining a spotlight on the work of carers, Kate opened up about Christmas and said: “It’s very raw Susanna to be honest. It’s very raw. I mean this time last year, Derek was still alive - very sick. We thought it was the toughest Christmas because weirdly in 2020 we had a lot of hope that he was coming out… I think that I am [still] in the early stages of grief… The pain and the feeling is still there.”
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Derek was diagnosed with COVID in March 2020 and spent 13 months in hospital after suffering multiple organ failure. While it's a tough time for the family, Kate is resolved to create new memories with their children during their first Christmas without him.
Speaking to Woman and Home magazine, she shared: "This Christmas will be difficult, as all the firsts are, but I’ve said to the kids, ‘Let’s do what feels right, do some new things and make new memories.’ Maybe we’ll go to midnight mass on Christmas Eve? You’ve got to try and let things evolve into new memories, and I’m going to be led by them.
"It will be our first Christmas without Derek, but to be honest, the last four or five Christmases have been challenging, although we’ve also had the joy of having Derek there with us... I hope I won’t be blubbing all day, but I’m sure there will be emotional moments. However, I want it to be fun and happy for Darcey and Billy because it’s been a tough few years for them. Maybe they’ll think, ‘At least Dad’s out of pain’."
Alongside opening up about her family on Good Morning Britain, Kate will join her co-hosts as they hear music from Michael Ball and Alfie Boe, as well as a show stopping performance from the cast of The Lion King. The show will also reunite Pride of Britain best friends Jacob Newson and Florrie Bark live on air before crowning the winner of this year’s 1 Million Minutes Len Goodman award.
Watch Good Morning Britain on Christmas Day from 7am on ITV1, ITVX, STV & STV Player
