In a heart-breaking announcement today (January 5), Kate Garraway revealed her husband, Derek Draper, has sadly passed away. The new comes after the former political advisor endured a painful, four year-long health battle after contracting covid-19.

Kate made the announcement weeks after Derek suffered a major heart attack on December 11. She said the father-of-two has been in and out of hospital since 2020.

In a heart-wrenching post on Instagram, the ITV Good Morning Britain presenter wrote: "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."

She concluded: "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." Derek's health battle first began in March 2020 when he fell ill with covid-19. He went on to spend a year in hospital recovering from the virus.

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For a total of 214 days, he was given treatment and put on a ventilator. Four months of those days he spent in an induced coma. By September 29, 2020, Derek had spent 184 days in hospital, making him the longest-suffering Covid patient.

Most common symptoms of covid include:

  • a high temperature or shivering (chills) – a high temperature means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
  • a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours
  • a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste
  • shortness of breath
  • feeling tired or exhausted
  • an aching body
  • a headache
  • a sore throat
  • a blocked or runny nose
  • loss of appetite
  • diarrhoea
  • feeling sick or being sick

Most common symptoms of long covid include:

  • extreme tiredness (fatigue)
  • feeling short of breath
  • loss of smell
  • muscle aches

However, there are lots of symptoms you can have after a COVID-19 infection, including: problems with your memory and concentration ("brain fog"), chest pain or tightness, difficulty sleeping, heart palpitations, dizziness, pins and needles, joint pain, depression and anxiety, tinnitus, earaches, feeling sick, diarrhoea, stomach aches, loss of appetite and rashes

Despite eventually becoming covid-free, Derek was left with numerous health complications as a result, including brain inflammation, kidney failure and damage to his liver and pancreas. According to the NHS, brain inflammation causes the brain to swell, which can lead to headache, stiff neck, sensitivity to light, mental confusion and seizures.

Meanwhile, kidney failure occurs when one or both of your kidneys no longer function well on their own. Symptoms leading up to possible kidney failure include tiredness, swollen ankles, feet or hands, shortness of breath, feeling sick and blood in your urine.

Timeline of the four-year health battle Derek Draper faced:

  • March 30 2020 : Derek is taken to hospital after contracting covid
  • April 24: Derek is put into a coma
  • June 5: Kate reveals Derek is free of covid but has suffered other complications
  • July 5: Derek wakes up from the induced coma, but is only 'minimally conscious'
  • September 6: Derek is unable to speak and has lost eight stone by this point
  • September 29: Derek spends 184 days in hospital, making him the longest-suffering Covid patient
  • October 30: First time in seven months Derek speaks
  • October 31: Derek is taken off a ventilator
  • April 9 2021: Derek is allowed to return home but needs round the clock care

  • October : Derek is sleeping 20 hours a day and still unable to talk properly

  • July 6 2022: Derek is taken back to hospital
  • August 1: Derek rushed into intensive care with "life-threatening" sepsis
  • October 8 2023: Kate says Derek is "not doing great" due to an infection
  • November 23: Given hospital treatment to help with his movement
  • December 11: Derek falls ill and suffers a heart attack

In October 2023, Kate issued an update on Derek, revealing that he was "not doing great" due to contracting another infection. In November, she openly said "his brain is now his worst enemy". A scan showed he had white patches on his brain, something that is typically seen in patients with vascular dementia.

Vascular dementia is a common type of dementia caused by reduced blood flow to the brain. It's estimated to affect around 180,000 people in the UK. Vascular dementia can start suddenly or begin slowly over time. Symptoms include: slowness of thought, difficulty with planning and understanding.

Patients may also suffer concentration, changes to mood, personality or behaviour, feeling disoriented and confused and difficulty walking and keeping balance.