Speaking on Good Morning Britain, Kate Garraway has revealed she hasn’t been able to visit her husband Derek Draper in hospital since Christmas.
Derek, 53, was tragically hospitalised with coronavirus last March and was admitted to intensive care after his condition quickly deteriorated.
While he no longer has the virus in his system, the former political lobbyist is currently suffering from a form of coma, known as Prolonged Disorder of Consciousness, which renders him almost completely unresponsive.
Kate had been permitted to visit Derek in hospital last year, but with the rising rates of coronavirus in late 2020, wards have clamped down on visitors in recent weeks.
On Thursday’s Good Morning Britain, appearing alongside her co-star Ben Shephard, she was asked: “How is Derek doing?”
Kate revealed she hasn’t been able to see Derek since Christmas (Image: Mirrorpix)
Kate replied: “I haven’t been able to see him since Christmas. He’s back to seeing strangers in masks.”
“It’s tough,” she added.
The heartbreaking revelation came as Kate explained her recent absence, having spent some time resting at home following a bout of illness.
Praising the network for offering her some time off, she said: “I’ve taken some time off.
“On ITV they’ve very kindly given me some time off. I haven’t been feeling very well – I think it might be one of those things where chickens come home to roost after a long year that we’ve all had.”
Kate Garraway opened up about her husband’s health battle on GMB
The mum-of-two explained she had been taking medicine and getting lots of rest, recuperating after an incredibly stressful and traumatic year.
She said: “I just took some holiday leave – at home, I know holidays are controversial – within the four walls of my home. I had a lot of sleep and a bit of medicine and feeling much better, thank you.”
Ben, who has been Kate’s close friend for 20 years, then joked: “Right, well you’ve got to bear in mind that a bit of time off for you is a bit of time off for us as well.
Kate’s moving memoir, The Power of Hope, is set to hit bookshops later this year
“So it works all round.”
Throughout the ordeal, Kate has continued to reach out to fellow victims of the Covid pandemic, sharing her own experience in the hopes of helping others.
Last month, the presenter revealed she has written an autobiography on the subject, which is set to be released on April 29.
Titled The Power of Hope, the book will explore Derek’s health battle, with Kate detailing how she has been “coping day to day with an uncertain future”.
In a statement released on Instagram, she said: “Whilst my experience of Covid is an extreme/extraordinary one, I am only too aware that this virus has impacted every single one of us.
“We are all going through this, to a greater or lesser degree. By telling the story of Derek’s illness and how it has altered our lives, I hope to be able to reach out to others who are suffering.”
Good Morning Britain airs on weekdays at 6am.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
