Good Morning Britain’s Richard Arnold has praised ‘courageous’ colleague Kate Garraway following the tragic death of her husband Derek Draper.
Derek died aged 56 last month after a long battle with his health from contracting the coronavirus at the start of the pandemic.
Kate, also 56, and her and Derek’s children Darcey, 17 and Billy, 11, were joined by family and friends at the Church of St Mary the Virgin, the same church Kate and Derek were married in, for a service of remembrance followed by his burial last week.
Speaking ahead of her return to work on Thursday Richard, 54, told The Sun how GMB staff would be ready with a ‘huge warm welcome’ for Kate on her first day – just hours after the grieving star gave her first interview on the show.
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’.
Good Morning Britain’s Richard Arnold has praised ‘courageous’ colleague Kate Garraway following the tragic death of her husband Derek Draper
Derek died aged 56 last month after a long battle with his health from contracting the coronavirus at the start of the pandemic (Kate pictured on the show on Monday)
Derek died aged 56 last month after a long battle with his health from contracting the coronavirus at the start of the pandemic (pictured in 2021)
‘I know she draws an awful lot of that strength, not just from her pals here at 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’.
Speaking about Kate’s return to work he said:’I know there’ll be a huge warm welcome for her when she gets back. You know, obviously it’s a very poignant time, very personal time for the team as well’.
During her Monday interview Kate revealed brave daughter Darcey asked to carry her father’s coffin and wrote an emotional eulogy for the funeral.
The presenter spoke from her home via videolink just three days after his funeral on Good Morning Britain, in what is her first TV appearance since his death last month.
Kate, who spent four years caring for Derek after he suffered serious health complications from Covid, praised Darcey, 17, for being ‘extraordinarily brave’ during the tough time.
Darcey acted as a pall bearer when the coffin, covered with purple and white flowers, made its way out of the church.
Talking about Derek’s funeral on Friday, host Suzanna Reid said: ‘The funeral was beautiful and you did him proud. The children were there and had such strength and Darcy was one of the bearers.’
Kate then discussed her daughter Darcey’s role as a pallbearer at the service, saying: ‘Darcey came into the room when we were talking about it [funeral plans] and said please will you let me carry the coffin.
Speaking ahead of her return to work on Thursday Richard, 54, said how GMB staff would be ready with a ‘huge warm welcome’ for Kate on her first day (pictured together in 2019)
Kate and her and Derek’s children Darcey, 17 and Billy, 11, were joined by family and friends at the Church of St Mary the Virgin, the same church Kate and Derek were married in, for a service of remembrance followed by his burial last week (Kate pictured at Friday’s funeral)
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 pictured at the funeral)
‘And I thought, crikey, that’s a practical challenge, anybody who’s ever done it, it’s a heavy thing. And she said I want to do it and basically insisted on doing it and I thought that was a beautiful thing that she carried her dad.’
Kate went on to reveal the final words her Darcey told her father.
The GMB host revealed Darcey said: ‘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.’
Speaking on Darcey and son Billy, she added: ‘For their grieving, we are in the foothills, we know there is a long way to go.’
During her Monday interview Kate revealed brave daughter Darcey asked to carry her father’s coffin and wrote an emotional eulogy for the funeral
Kate, who spent four years caring for Derek after he suffered serious health complications from Covid, praised Darcey for being ‘extraordinarily brave’ during the tough time
She continued: ‘They didn’t want to pressure him to keep going. I don’t think he did feel that, I think he kept going because he wanted to be here.’
The presenter, whose husband Derek Draper died on January 3 took a break from her presenting role last December after he had a cardiac arrest.
Kate is said to be ‘keen to keep busy and get back to work’, and is also hoping to return to her show on Smooth Radio. She is provisionally scheduled to return full-time, but ITV have offered her the option to take time off as and when she needs.
The funeral of Draper – which was attended by figures including ex-prime minister Sir Tony Blair , musician Sir Elton John and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer – was held last Friday at the Church Of St Mary The Virgin in Primrose Hill, North West London.
The presenter took a break from her presenting role last December after he had a cardiac arrest (pictured at the National Television Awards in London in 2007)
Meanwhile Garraway confirmed she will return to the desk on GMB on Thursday and joked: ‘I’m going to be looking forward to a blow dry.’
She said she will also be cracking out the fake eyelashes and fake tan, adding: ‘Don’t worry – I am going to be looking a lot more respectable.’
Garraway went on: ‘I am looking forward to coming into the world and connecting with everyone again.
‘Thank you for having me back but have a little patience, I might be a bit rusty. I think there is a new king. Have I caught up with that?’
