Kate Garraway brought a camera crew into her life to capture Derek’s struggle with coronavirus as she remained strong for her husband and children.
After seven months the story, ‘Finding Derek’ will now air on ITV and show her husband’s year in hospital and ongoing battle to recovery.
The Mirror reported the documentary reveals that during the Christmas season the Good Morning Britain presenter began preparations in the hopes she would be able to bring Derek home to recover.
She converted the ground floor of their home, bringing a hospital bed into the lounge and creating wheelchair access.
(Image: ITV)
However, her hopes were dashed when Derek’s condition did not improve forcing him to have to stay in the hospital for the foreseeable future.
She said: “It felt like we were moving forward at Christmas, now it feels like we’ve slipped back.
“And I’ve felt like I’m sort of hanging over the side of a ship, trying to hold on to him, so when he bobs up from this ocean of unconsciousness, you can see him sort of click in.
(Image: ITV)
“You feel you have filled him up with as much positivity as possible, ‘You’re going to be fine. You’re going to come home. It’s going to be okay’. Even if you don’t really know if that’s true.
“But I just want him to know that, so that when he disappears back down, he’s got some hope there.
“You don’t know how much is emotional, how much is physical, how much is neurological. The long-term effects of coronavirus are still so unknown so there isn’t enough data to accurately predict his recovery.”
(Image: ITV)
The couple’s ultimate goal is to have Derek home with their two children, Darcey, 15, and Billy, 11.
Because of lockdown rules, the children and Kate have not seen Derek in 2021.
Their last visit was a one-off around Christmas, the first time the kids saw Derek in person since he contracted the virus in March last year.
Kate said: “It was lovely, it was wonderful. I’m so proud of the children. Because, yes, they’ve been talking to him on FaceTime. Yes, nothing’s a secret from them. But it is still a physical shock to the system to see him in the flesh. Because he has changed.”
(Image: Daily Star, Daily Mirror, Daily Express)
Like what you see? Then fill your boots…
There’s MUCH more where that came from! Want all the jaw-dropping stories from the world of showbiz and up to the minute news from TV and soaps?
Well, we’ve got you covered with our showbiz, TV and soaps newsletters – they’ll drop straight into your inbox and you can unsubscribe whenever you like.
We’ll bring you the inside track from telly expert Ed Gleave and soap specialist Sasha Morris. Oh, and your daily fix of Piers, Katie Price, Demi Rose and all your other Daily Star favs.
You can sign up here – you won’t regret it…
Derek has lost eight stone as a result of his illness and most of the muscles in his arms and legs is gone.
“Derek is physically very affected. His legs are like sticks, he has no muscle left. In terms of his movement, he’s physically affected,” Kate explained.
However, Kate said the children enjoyed the day and that Derek responded animatedly.
“And of course, they’ve been longing for so long, so long, to be able to have their dad and be with their dad. He can’t respond exactly the way he did before, but he was looking directly at them and his expression showed so much love. They coped brilliantly.”
Kate Garraway: Finding Derek is on ITV, tomorrow (Tuesday) at 9pm.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
