Good Morning Britain’s Ben Shephard has shared a heartfelt tribute to his co-host Kate Garraway and her family following the passing of her husband, Derek Draper.
The mother of two announced the tragic news on Instagram on Friday (January 5), saying: “I’m sad to have to tell you all that my darling husband Derek has passed away. As some of you may know he has been critically ill following a cardiac arrest in early December which, because of the damage inflicted by Covid in March 2020, led to further complications.”
“Sending so much love and thanks to all of you who have so generously given our family so much support. Rest gently and peacefully now Derek, my love, I was so lucky to have you in my life,” she added.
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After Kate shared the heartbreaking news with the world, Ben logged into his Instagram page and shared an emotional statement alongside a snap of Derek cheekily kissing Kate on the cheek. The Tipping Point presenter wrote: “On what has been the saddest of days @kategarraway I’ve been reminding myself of the wonderful times and memories we have all shared together.
(Image: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
“This is how I’ll always think of Derek – bringing you so much joy, your smile says it all, the size of which is matched only by his love for you, Darcey and Bill. Sending all our love Kate to you and all the family. Also thank you to everyone who has reached out to me, I promise I will pass on your messages, I know they will bring Kate so much comfort as they have for the last few years.”
Derek, a psychologist and author, shared two children with Good Morning Britain’s Kate. He bravely battled Covid-19 after being hospitalised in March 2020. He fell into a coma at the start of the pandemic and was put on a ventilator. He became Britain’s longest suffering Covid-19 victim, spending 13 months in hospital. The dad-of-two returned home in April 2021 but still needed care as he struggled to regain his health.
Following the news of Derek’s sad death, tributes have poured in. This Morning’s Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary paid tribute to Derek live on the ITV show and Iain King fought back tears as he shared the news of his friend’s death on Sky News. Susanna Reid, Kate’s Good Morning Britain colleague, and Lorraine Kelly were among the first to send their love and support to the grieving mum-of-two. Alastair Campbell, a fellow prominent New Labour figure in the 1990s, described Derek as “a huge character”.
(Image: James Gourley/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
Kate’s sad news about Derek has touched many hearts, with stars and politicians alike sharing their sorrow. Sir Tony Blair, former PM and Labour leader, said: “I am so sad to hear the news about Derek. My heart goes out to Kate and their children William and Darcey.”
“It is extraordinary and remarkable that Derek survived so long after the ravages of Covid. And that was in large measure due to the love Derek had for his family and they for him. This also says something very special about Derek. He was a tough sometimes ruthless political operative, a brilliant adviser and someone you always wanted on your side.”
“But underneath that tough exterior he was a loving, kind, generous and good natured man you wanted as a friend. He was an important part of the New Labour story, at the centre of things right at the beginning. But most important of all, he was a good colleague and great friend. And we will miss him deeply.”
(Image: No credit)
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Derek bravely battled Covid-19 for a long time, first being hospitalised in March 2020. He fell into a coma at the start of the pandemic and was put on a ventilator, becoming Britain’s longest suffering Covid-19 victim as he spent 13 months in hospital.
The dad-of-two returned home from hospital in April 2021 but still needed care and help, as he struggled to get back to full health after catching the virus. Kate shared Derek’s journey to recovery with two documentaries about her husband’s health, winning a National Television Award in 2021 for her feature Finding Derek. The mum-of-two spoke about the reality of caring for a loved one and the state of social care in the UK when she collected the award two years ago.
* This article was crafted with the help of an AI tool, which speeds up Daily Star’s editorial research. An editor reviewed this content before it was published. You can report any errors to starletters@dailystar.co.uk
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
