Lorraine Kelly reflects on death of Kate Garraway’s husband Derek
Lorraine Kelly has shared her memories of Kate Garraway’s late husband.
Last Friday, Good Morning Britain host Kate announced the devastating death of her husband Derek Draper.
Derek, who was 56 and was a parent to children Darcey (17) and William (14) with Kate, had been suffering from coronavirus complications since March 2020. Last month, Derek was admitted to hospital due to a cardiac arrest.
Almost one week on from the news of his passing, one of Kate’s colleagues has spoken out about her own fond memories of Derek.
In an interview for Weekend Magazine, TV presenter Lorraine Kelly was asked about the late father-of-two.
“For me, I will always remember Derek's pride when Kate came out the jungle,” recalled the 64-year-old, referring to Kate’s stint on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! in late 2019.
“Obviously it was shortly before Covid, when he got took so, so ill. We interviewed him quite a few times while she was in there and he was bursting with pride,” Lorraine revealed.
“I remember him saying, ‘This is her time, Kate's going to do so many wonderful things, I'm so glad she's made such an impact’, and then of course, not that long afterwards, he got so, so ill and she was just astonishing,” the Lorraine host continued.
Lorraine then went on to praise her fellow journalist for her strength during Derek’s years of ill health.
“I knew Kate was a strong girl, I knew she was strong, but boy she really was absolutely incredible, I don't know how she did it,” she exclaimed, adding: “All she has to do now is take some time to herself. I bet she won't, but she should.”
In her announcement of Derek’s death last week, Kate penned: “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.”
