Kate Garraway shares details of husband Derek's Covid battle in tonight's new ITV documentary

In tonight's documentary, Kate Garraway tells viewers that she “fears the reality” of giving up her job on Good Morning Britain in order to offer her husband Derek Draper 24-hour care.
Kate Garraway carries gift boxes and pulls a suitcase as she arrives at Global Radio in London. Credit: PA Wire/PA Images. Picture by Ian WestKate Garraway carries gift boxes and pulls a suitcase as she arrives at Global Radio in London. Credit: PA Wire/PA Images. Picture by Ian West
Kate Garraway carries gift boxes and pulls a suitcase as she arrives at Global Radio in London. Credit: PA Wire/PA Images. Picture by Ian West

The 53-year-old, from Chorley, who attended Runshaw College in Leyland, remains in hospital after being admitted with coronavirus symptoms in March last year.

A new documentary presented by the GMB host - 'Finding Derek' - will air on ITV at 9pm tonight and will feature footage of her husband in hospital.

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The documentary details their family’s experience during his illness and sees Garraway speaking to people suffering long Covid, NHS staff and other experts.

Kate Garraway with her husband, Derek Draper, who was born and raised in Chorley and attended Runshaw College. Picture credit: Tim Ireland/PAKate Garraway with her husband, Derek Draper, who was born and raised in Chorley and attended Runshaw College. Picture credit: Tim Ireland/PA
Kate Garraway with her husband, Derek Draper, who was born and raised in Chorley and attended Runshaw College. Picture credit: Tim Ireland/PA

Garraway, 53, told Good Morning Britain that it showed Draper responding to his family after waking from an induced coma, following "hours of nothingness, of blank staring".

"The moments that you see are the moments when he is getting more consciousness and he can react,” the presenter said.

Kate Garraway says she decided to feature the intimate footage of Derek in his hospital bed because "he would want his story to be told".

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She said: "Derek has devoted his life to mental health and good mental health. He’s a psychotherapist and a psychologist.

"So I feel like, that he would want his story to be told."

She also says that they would probably have a “completely different dynamic” in their marriage once he is able to leave hospital , admitting that she “fears the reality” of giving up her job on GMB in order to care for him full-time.

In the documentary 'Finding Derek', she is seen renovating the ground floor of their family home in London so it is wheelchair accessible ahead of his return.

She tells their 11-year-old son Bill: “You know that we are hoping that dad will get better and better, but when he comes home he will probably need to be in a wheelchair, so we are trying to make it so he can do all this.

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"And if I have to give up work to care for him then it is best to do it now when I am earning money.

"If he needs 24-hour care I will be the primary carer. I have a fear of the reality of that life. It is a completely different dynamic to our relationship."

But she then reassures her fans that she has no plans to leave Good Morning Britain, telling her co-host Ben Shepard, "You can’t get rid of me that easily, I’m not going anywhere.”

Garraway goes on to say that she is trying to stay positive about her husband's recovery, but says she fears that his condition might change for the worse at any moment.

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She said: "I am very aware that I am very lucky, because Derek is still here. And we have got the chance to battle on.

"The only thing that panics me is that we are on such a roller coaster with Derek and the next minute there might be a phone call to say something has gone backwards.

"You think, ‘Gosh am I just fooling myself'?"

One scene sees her recall being told by Draper’s doctors that her husband was the most seriously ill person they had seen who remained alive.

"Derek is the sickest person the team of doctors in the lung hospital have treated that has lived," says Kate.

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"His kidneys have failed, his liver has failed, his heart is being supported with medicine.

"So the best way of coping with that is to think, ‘What have I got control over?’ and I guess that is making sure the children feel okay.”

Sir Elton John also appears in the documentary, lending his support to Garraway, who has been playing his songs to Draper in a bid to trigger his emotional reactions.

Sir Elton John can be heard speaking over the phone, telling her: “I pray for him every night, in my prayers, and you and your family.

"He is an amazing man, please give him my love when you talk to him next time."

Finding Derek airs tonight (Tuesday, March 23) at 9pm on ITV.

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