Kate Garraway has opened up about the festive season as she prepares to mark her first Christmas without her husband Derek Draper.
On January 5 Kate, 57, announced that her husband Derek had died at the age of 56 after a long battle with several health problems after contracting Covid-19.
Almost a year on from Derek’s death, Kate has revealed that she is still in the ‘early’ stages of her ‘raw’ grief.
While appearing on Good Morning Britain for a pre-recorded Christmas Day special, the star revealed that she was expecting their first Christmas since his passing to be tough.
‘It’s very raw Susanna to be honest. It’s very raw,’ she told her co-host Susanna Reid.
‘I mean this time last year, Derek was still alive – very sick. We thought it was the toughest Christmas because weirdly in 2020 we had a lot of hope that he was coming out… I think that I am [still] in the early stages of grief…
‘The pain and the feeling is still there.’
On Christmas Eve’s Good Morning Britain, Kate said this Christmas would be ‘particularly hard’ after Draper’s death.
Kate recalled last Christmas Draper was ‘very ill’ in intensive care and said she did fear it would be a ‘grim one’ although her children were ‘very hopeful.’
She added: ‘It’s a tough one this year and for anyone experiencing grief it does hit you. I’m thinking about everybody else who is feeling it.’
Announcing Draper’s death at the beginning of this year, Kate said: ‘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.
‘I have so much more to say, and of course I will do so in due course, but for now I just want to thank all the medical teams who fought so hard to save him and to make his final moments as comfortable and dignified as possible.
‘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 shared on social media.
The journalist was married to Draper for almost 20 years and they share two children: daughter Darcey, 18, and son Billy, 15.
Draper was thought to have been Britain’s longest-suffering Coronavirus victim after contracting the disease in March 2020, at the very beginning of the pandemic.
After falling into a coma and being put on a ventilator, he spent 13 months in hospital. After returning home he then was in and out of hospital with a series of health issues as the virus caused brain inflammation, kidney failure, and liver and pancreas damage.
He also suffered from several heart problems and had a ‘massive heart attack’ the month before he died.
In September, Darcey and Billy joined Kate on stage at the National Television Awards as she won the gong for the ITV show Kate Garraway: Derek’s Story, which followed the final year of Draper’s life before his death.
In her speech during the awards show, Kate said: ‘It’s so strange to be here – this one’s for you Derek, absolutely.’
She also added: ‘This one is for all those people who care.’
Kate then called for a system which better supports carers, adding: ‘We need a system which catches us when we fall, not catches us out… I’m going to keep the fight on for all of you.’
The festive episode of the series is set to be hosted by Susanna, Kate, and Ed Balls.
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The episode will also feature special guests including Pride of Britain best friends Jacob Newson and Florrie Bark, who will be reunited.
There will also be musical performances from the cast of The Lion King, Michael Ball and Alfie Boa.
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Good Morning Britain’s festive special airs on Christmas Day from 7am on ITV1, ITVX, STV & STV Player
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