Kate Garraway says husband Derek Draper is ‘phenomenally fatigued’

Kate Garraway has admitted her husband Derek Draper is ‘very fatigued and weak’ after enjoying a day out to see a pantomime with his family.

The GMB star and her husband were pictured going to a pantomime in December with their two children, Darcey, 15, and William, 12 – Derek’s first outing since he contracted Covid in 2020.

Appearing via videolink on Tuesday’s GMB, Kate said Derek thought the trip was ‘worth it’ to be able to do something ‘normal’ with his family.

When asked about her husband, Kate admitted to her GMB colleagues: ‘He’s doing alright. He’s phenomenally fatigued, very fatigued and very weak.’

‘After the pantomime he wasn’t out of bed but I think he thought it was worth it. It was a special thing to be sat there with the children, holding their hands, doing something normal. But it took everything out of him.’

‘We don’t know what the year is going to bring. He was smiling, present. Speech isn’t there but you can see [in a photo from the pantomime trip] that he’s aware something special is happening and he’s part of it. That morning I said to him’you’re very tired, do you want to do this?’ and he said ‘yes! Yes!”

Kate added that the family are currently making a second documentary portraying  the aftermath of Derek returning home from hospital last year ‘and how it affects us as a family as well as navigating the system.’

The documentary follows the success of the award-winning ITV film Finding Derek, which Kate made in 2021 during her husband’s year in hospital. 

Kate also used her appearance on GMB to talk about her MBE, which she received in the New Year’s Honours.

The TV star admitted she had received some backlash over the honour. ‘I feel very awkward about it all, thrilled to bits and incredibly honoured. But you think, me? And then you think it’s not real,’ she explained.   

She added that ‘there’s been a few comments since saying – why has she got this, I look after my loved one. And you sort of feel like, I haven’t got it for looking after Derek.’

‘It’s for broadcasting and charity work. There’s lots of people you think deserve it more, it’s a strange feeling.’ 

GMB’s Susanna Reid brought up the issue of negative comments Kate had mentioned, saying, ‘You’ve played down the fact it’s your role as a carer for Derek that might have contributed to this. I would disagree. 

‘I think the fact that you have been very open and in fact made that documentary about looking after Derek, as a representative of someone who has suffered so badly with Covid.

‘I know there are a lot of people who have cared for someone who has suffered with Covid who are very grateful and glad that you’ve highlighted how hard that is…

‘Don’t diminish how important that work has been in the pandemic.’

Kate replied, ‘No, and you’re right Susanna, I don’t think a day goes by when people don’t say [that].’

Derek was rushed to hospital in March 2020 after contracting coronavirus, spending more than a year in medical care before returning home to be looked after by Kate and their children Darcey, 15, and William, 12. 

Kate appeared in good spirits as she headed to Global Studios on Tuesday to host her Smooth Radio show.

The presenter was seen arriving on the back of a motorbike and wrapped up in a black coat.

The broadcaster also sported a navy jacket which she wore with a pair of blue jeans and white trainers.

Keeping warm in a light blue patterned jumper, Kate added to her outfit with a black leather handbag.

Letting her blonde locks fall loose down her shoulders, Kate sported a face mask as she headed into the studios.