Kate Garraway Good Morning Britain updates — TV star returns to host alongside Ben Shephard & fans praise her ‘strength’
KATE Garraway has returned to host Good Morning Britain today alongside Ben Shephard after speaking about her husband Derek Draper's final days.
The Good Morning Britain star, 56, appeared on the show alongside Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley on Monday for her first interview since Derek's death.
Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, Good Morning Britain fans have issued 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!”
Read our live blog below for the latest news and updates...
GMB fans praise Kate’s strength on return
Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, Good Morning Britain fans have issued 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!”
‘It feels weird to be back’
Speaking this morning, Kate said: “It’s lovely to be back here, It’s odd to be back here.
“I feel very weird, the makeup girls had me in tears this morning just by saying ‘hello’…I’ve got some lovely hugs from everybody. So nobody hug me nobody be nice to me.”
Ben replied joking: “That sounds good to me.”
Derek was one of the longest-suffering Covid patients
Derek Draper was one of the country’s longest-suffering Covid patients after contracting the virus back in 2020.
Since being discharged in 2021, Derek has been readmitted to hospital on numerous occasions.
He suffered a heart attack on December 11 and was taken to hospital.
When did Derek die?
Derek sadly died on January 5 following a 4 year battle with Covid.
Kate confirmed the news in an Instagram post writing: “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.
“Derek was surrounded by his family in his final days and I was by his side holding his hand throughout the last long hours and when he passed.”
Kate’s struggle
Kat suffered her own secret health battle last year when rushed to A&E at 4.30am after she cared for Derek on just four hours sleep.
She had collapsed and doctors warned her she could be suffering from stress-related angina. Kate has also spent the last few years fighting to provide for her family.
Reports have suggested she may be forced to sell her home which was adapted to accommodate Derek’s recovery.
Kate’s Good Morning Britain colleagues attended Derek’s funeral
Kate’s GMB co-stars past and present, including Ben, Richard Madeley, Piers Morgan — now at TalkTV — Charlotte Hawkins and Susanna Reid attended in support of their popular colleague.
Ex-PM Tony Blair, political adviser Derek’s former boss, gave a speech during the emotional funeral.
Sir Elton John sang Skyline Pigeon, with lyrics including “Turn me loose from your hands/Let me fly to distant lands”.
How did Kate and Derek meet?
The pair were introduced by ex-GMTV political editor Gloria De Piero and met up at Claridges in a group.
Speaking to , Kate recalled: “Derek arrived thinking it was a date and that I was being incredibly cool by ignoring him.”
Kate added: “He asked me out, but the day of our date called to say he had a clash.
“He’d promised to serve wine at an amateur watercolour painting exhibition at his church. I really thought it was a wind-up.
“But I turned up and he was indeed serving wine to the congregation in a salmon-pink jumper.”
Who was Derek Draper?
Draper was born into a politically active family in Chorley, Lancashire. His Scottish mother, Chrina (nee Walkingshaw), worked as a cleaner, and his father, Ken, was a shop steward at British Leyland.
He was involved in university politics and was a traditional Labour supporter in the students’ union at the University of Manchester, before being hired by Peter Mandelson to work as a researcher in Tony Blair’s government.
During his time working at the centre of politics, he once famously said: “There are 17 people who count in this government and to say that I am intimate with all of them is the understatement of the century.”
Sir Elton John, Tony Blair and Piers Morgan were among the guests at his funeral.
Credit: Getty In pictures: Derek Draper’s funeral
Good Morning Britain star, Kate, was joined by the couple’s two children Darcey and Billie, with 17-year-old Darcey bravely helping carry the coffin as her tearful mother looked on.
Kate felt ‘swamped’
Kate said she felt “swamped” when she was told that Derek would not survive his battle.
Kate held back tears as she discussed Derek’s final moments earlier this week.
Kate said her daughter Darcey told Derek in his last moments “if you can’t do this we will be okay”.
Kate's return
Kate Garraway returned to host GMB after the star bravely opened up about Derek Draper’s final days earlier this week.
The presenter, 56, reunited alongside Ben Shephard this morning after two months off air.
Credit: ITV Darcey’s courage
Speaking to Good Morning Britain on Monday, Kate said Darcey showed huge strength in the hours before her father’s death.
She told the show: “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.”
Richard Arnold speaks on Kate's courage
Kate's close pal Richard Arnold has revealed the special way Good Morning Britain will support her during the return.
He said: “Like so many people in her position she's demonstrated such courage and such humanity and I know the viewers relate to that, too. I mean anyone, who has been a carer, unsung or otherwise, you've got to dig deep.
Richard added: “I know she draws an awful lot of that strength, not just from her pals here at GMB both on the screen and behind the scenes, but also the outpouring of support she's had over the last few years from the viewers.
“It’s been an extraordinary amount of support for her which is wonderful. And I do know that she draws an awful lot of strength from that, the whole family does.”
Speaking to Kate today, Richard said: "It's really lovely to have you home."
Andi Peters welcomes Kate back
Fellow presenter Andi Peters said: "It's an absolute pleasure to see you back behind that desk."
Earlier Kate confessed people who experience grief might not see the "love around them" because they don't have public facing jobs.
'Lovely to feel so much love'
Kate 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."
What did Kate say about Derek's funeral?
Kate Garraway returned to GMB this morning following her husband's funeral.
Derek's funeral took place last Friday and was attended by a range of stars including Sir Elton John and Sir Tony Blair.
Returning to presenting duties this morning Kate said: “I definitely wanted to make it about Derek not about me.
“It was really lovely as well to feel so much love from everybody here.”
Kate praises ‘incredible’ support
Kate Garraway thanked viewers for the "incredible" love and support she has received as she returned to presenting GMB.
Kate said: "Thank you to all of you at home as well, I know I mentioned it on Monday but you have been incredible."
How did Kate return to GMB?
Kate immediately interrupted Ben as the pair started the weekday morning programme.
The mum-of-two joked that "nothing has changed" but revealed her makeup team made her cry before going on air.
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.
Watch Kate's emotional return here
Kate Garraway returned to our screen to host GMB this morning.
The star opened the show by revealing her emotional morning.
What has Kate said about grief?
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."
‘I’m lucky that I’ve got all of you’
Kate revealed that son Billy headed back to school at the start of the week.
During her interview on GMB on Monday Kate said: “We have to pick ourselves up, that’s what Derek did and would want us to do.
“Grieving will continue. We’re in the foothills. Anyone who’s been through it will know. There’s a long way to go.
“I’m lucky that I’ve got all of you.
“I’m not sure I got through it very well. I relied on everyone else as we all do.
“I think I’ve got a massive debt to everyone.”
Derek was one of the longest-suffering Covid patients
Derek Draper was one of the country’s longest-suffering Covid patients after contracting the virus back in 2020.
Since being discharged in 2021, Derek has been readmitted to hospital on numerous occasions.
He suffered a heart attack on December 11 and was taken to hospital.
Kate and Ben return to hosting
Kate Garraway was reunited alongside Ben Shephard this morning after two months off air.
GMB fans praise Kate's strength on return
Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, Good Morning Britain fans have issued 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!"
Kate issues warning to Ben
Kate warned Ben and the viewers this morning that she feels like she needs to catch up on the news.
She said: "Just to warn you, I don't know anything about what's going on in the news at the moment."
Ben joked: "No change there then."
Kate has returned to host the show for the first time this year following the death of her husband Derek.
