KATE'S BACK!
Watch brave Kate Garraway’s emotional return to GMB as she admits she was in tears & thanks fans for heartfelt messages
The broadcaster courageously said 'life has to start again' after husband Derek's death
KATE Garraway has made an emotional return to GMB today as she admitted she was in tears but thanked her fans for their heartfelt messages.
The brave presenter, 56, was reunited with Ben Shephard this morning to present the ITV breakfast show after two months off air.
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The TV host was back at work after taking a leave of absence following Derek Draper's death on January 3 aged 56.
Kate immediately interrupted Ben as the pair started the weekday morning programme.
The mum-of-two joked that "nothing has changed" but added it feels "odd" and "weird" for her to be back.
The 56-year-old also revealed her makeup team made her cry as they gave her a warm welcome before she went on-air.
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She said: "It's lovely to be back here. It's odd, I feel very weird.
"The makeup girls had me in tears this morning just by saying hello. I got some hugs but I said 'nobody be nice to me'."
Kate also thanked "you at home" saying her fans have been "incredible".
She said: "Thank you to all of you at home as well. You have been incredible.
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"I keep saying, just treat me normally, everyone realises they don't know how to anymore."
Co-host Ben, 49, joked he would give Garraway a bit of "leeway".
He then described Derek's funeral as "extraordinary" and said it was a "real celebration" that did him "proud".
Kate Garraway fights back tears on GMB and reveals why she’s returning to work just days after Derek Draper’s funeral
"You really did Derek proud, it was an extraordinary thing," he said.
Kate, who admitted to feeling "wobbly", replied: "I wanted to make it about Derek, not about me.
"That changes this morning, it's back to me."
The broadcaster explained how Derek's friends have been "fantastic", alongside her two children Darcey, 17, and Billy, 14.
She again thanked her GMB colleagues and viewers saying it's "lovely to feel so much love from everyone here".
Kate continued: "Everybody's just been so nice. All of you, honestly, it's amazing."
But she confessed people who experience grief might not see the "love around them" because they don't have public facing jobs.
Later fellow presenter Andi Peters said: "It's an absolute pleasure to see you back behind that desk."
But ever the professional, Kate was focused on the day's biggest news stories as the panel discussed Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer's clash during PMQs.
Everybody's just been so nice. All of you, honestly, it's amazing.
Kate Garraway
Richard Arnold also told Kate that it is "lovely to have you home".
The show's entertainment reporter described Derek's funeral as an "extraordinary send-off for such a wonderful man".
He also revealed he had an incident at the service after a waiter bumped into him with a tray full of glasses of Champagne which left him ";completely drenched from head to toe".
Ben read out messages sent in by viewers to Kate, with some saying it was "great to see Kate back with her sidekick Ben".
Kate put out her arm to stop Ben and admitted the first time she was called a widow "took my breath away".
She described her shock at the term after an Amazon deliveryman dropped off a parcel at her North London home.
Kate said: "Do you know, the other day somebody called me a widow for the first time.
"It took my breath away. It was an Amazon delivery person who said 'so sorry for your loss now you're a widow'.
"I suddenly realised what everyone goes through.
"Every single moment is something new and we have all just got to go through it."
She added: "Sorry to interrupt. But I really get what people feel."
Kate and Ben have been friends for decades, but their off-screen bond strengthened in 2020 after Derek caught Covid.
Meanwhile Richard revealed Kate has been secretly supporting him as he becomes a carer for his poorly mum Dot.
Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, GMB fans have offered their support and praise to the returning host.
One fan said: "What a strong woman she is. Welcome back Kate."
A second added: "Welcome back @kategarraway!!! We have really missed you!"
The presenter appeared on Good Morning Britain just days after her beloved Derek's funeral.
The brave widow previously revealed she would return to our screens following the tragedy because "life has to start" again.
Holding back tears she said: "I don't know how it's going to be. Grief isn't containable in a day or year.
"People ask why I'm going back to work. Life has to start. We have to pick ourselves up and go on.
"That's what Derek would want me to do. Thank you to everyone who made it possible."
Derek Draper's four-year health battle
- March 30, 2020: Derek is rushed unresponsive to hospital with Covid.
- April 24: He is put into an induced coma.
- June 5: Kate reveals Derek is Covid-free but his body suffered damage.
- July 5: He awakens from a deep coma but remains "minimally conscious".
- September 6: Kate then reveals Derek lost eight stone and cannot speak.
- September 29: Derek becomes the longest-suffering Covid patient after spending 184 days in hospital.
- October 30: Wakes from coma and speaks for the first time in seven months.
- October 31: He is finally taken off ventilator after 214 days in hospital.
- January 7, 2021: Kate reveals kids got to visit Derek at Christmas - the first time since he was hospitalised.
- April 9: Derek returns home after over a year but needs full-time care.
- May 4: He is able to converse more.
- December 22: Pictured in public for the first time at a panto.
- February 21, 2022: Kate says they secretly flew to Mexico for a medical trial.
- July 6: Derek is rushed back to hospital.
- August 1: He is in intensive care with "life-threatening" sepsis.
- June 28, 2023: He sees wife Kate made MBE.
- October 8: Kate reveals Derek is "not doing great" after an infection.
- November 23: In hospital for treatment to help with movement.
- December 11: Taken ill and suffers a heart attack.
- January 3: Derek Draper tragically dies.
She also revealed that son Billy was heading back to school.
"We have to pick ourselves up, that's what Derek did and would want us to do", she added.
"Grieving will continue. We're in the foothills. Anyone who's been through it will know. There's a long way to go."
Kate was last seen on GMB on December 8 before taking a break to look after Derek following his deterioration.
He sadly died less than a month later on January 3.
Talking about Derek's four-year battle, Kate said it was important that he didn't feel like he was letting his family down.
She said: "Derek's spirit and fight to keep going, and the children, have been extraordinary throughout.
"It feels like five years and two minutes since Derek was in a positive place before the cardiac arrest which took him from us.
"It was the furthest from the spectre of death we could have been.
People ask why I'm going back to work. Life has to start. We have to pick ourselves up and go on.
Kate Garraway
"It was a challenge to make sure he knew that he wasn't letting us down because he couldn't get through this last one.
"They were so beautiful, the children about that.
"Darcey said 'If you can't do this it's okay, don't worry about us. We will be OK. Don't worry about mum. We will be fine. You don't have to worry about looking after us all. You will live on through us'."
Last week, Kate said goodbye to Derek at his funeral.
His funeral was held on Friday at the Church of St Mary The Virgin in Primrose Hill, north-west London.
It was attended by figures including former prime minister Sir Tony Blair, musician Sir Elton John and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer.
Former political lobbyist-turned-psychologist Draper married the GMB presenter at the same church in September 2005.
Draper fell seriously ill during the early part of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020 and spent 13 months in hospital before he was discharged.
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He died on January 3 aged 56 after suffering long-lasting symptoms from coronavirus.
Despite being scheduled to return full-time, ITV have offered their full support to Kate and said she can take time off as and when.
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