Kate Garraway has apologised for publicly reached out to Haringey Council for help following the death of her husband, Derek Draper.
The presenter, 56, took to Twitter on Tuesday (April 16) night to publicly message the council after struggling for 10 days to speak to someone regarding “unsettling post making demands” which Derek can “obviously not respond to” following his death at the start of the year.
In her message, visible to her 524,700 followers, Kate explained how she had been on hold for almost 50 minutes trying to get through to the correct department in order to discuss “unsettling post making demands”. She posted at the time: “@haringeycouncil -please help – have been trying for ten days solid to speak to someone about my husband passing away – following unsettling post making demands which obviously he can’t respond to. I just cannot get through.
READ MORE: Click for more brilliant Daily Star showbiz stories
READ MORE: Click for more brilliant Daily Star TV stories
“Again today nearly 50 mins wait and before I could ….Kate, who recently revealed she has debts of over £800,000 due to the financial cost of Derek’s care, continued in an additional tweet: “@haringeycouncil … the man put me straight back to the beginning – another 20 mins and then it timed out as shuts at 5pm. Is there a bereavement service or SOMETHING!”
(Image: ITV)
During Thursday’s (April 18) episode of Good Morning Britian, Kate apologised for her outburst, stating: “I just want to say a huge apology to Haringey Council, who I know are doing a very difficult job, and I lashed out on Twitter the other night because I was so frustrated.
“I should have known that social media is probably not the way to do these things, but I was just at the end of my tether. But they’ve been in touch and I’ve got a meeting with them on Monday, so hopefully we can sort things out. When co-host Ed Balls addressed Kate’s recent social media message, she responded: “This is not an attack on Haringey Council, it was born out of utter frustration.
(Image: ITV)
“I don’t like putting things onto Twitter but many good people, including Martin Lewis, say that often the people who monitor social media are also more staffed than the people who have to answer phones.”
Highlighting the practical issues arising from Derek’s death she mentioned: “It’s not really sending the post, as you understand, there will be a period where the algorithm doesn’t work out, when someone’s passed away. It’s just something that’s been going on for about three or four years, actually.
“The inability to convey to people that this is to do with many things but this is particularly to do with posts, bills, demands, threats of bailiffs still going to Derek, even though I’ve been paying those things but I have a different name on some accounts and not being able to get through to anyone to say: ‘This person has passed away’. I’m sure I’m not alone in that.
“I will say it’s a common experience and very frustrating because you want to be able to sort things out as quickly as possible. Lots of companies and areas do have specific bereavement people who take that on for you and help you to navigate through, but it’s just that others don’t and you’re having the same conversation again and again.
“Sorry about putting that on Twitter but Haringey Council have got in touch and asked me to DM them directly with my details and hopefully it will get resolved. But then it shouldn’t be because you’re on the telly and you Tweet something that these things happen, should it? Because I’m sure there’s many people who are railing against it without that. So we will see! Ed revealed GMB have also reached out officially but they’re waiting for a response.
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays on ITV at 6am
Want all the biggest Showbiz and TV news straight to your inbox? Sign up for our free Daily Star Showbiz newsletter
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
