Kate Garraway says she has had a ‘tough week’ with husband Derek Draper

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Kate Garraway has said she had a ‘tough week’ with husband Derek Draper as he continues to recover from his battle with coronavirus in hospital.

During Friday’s episode of Good Morning Britain, Kate, 53, received a message from former Prime Minister Gordon Brown who sent his well wishes to the mother-of-two.

Kate thanked the politician and offered viewers an update on her husband’s condition, as she admitted it had been a difficult week for the family. 

She turned to co-host Ben Shephard, 45, and said: ‘Tough week with Derek. It has been a tough week.’

Later in the show, Lorraine Kelly appeared on screen to discuss what would be coming up on her show, and said: ‘I’m sorry to hear it’s been a tough week, Kate – but we love having you on the telly!’

Former lobbyist Derek, 53, was hospitalised on March 29 after suffering serious complications from Covid-19 and has remained in intensive care ever since, in a minimally conscious state from which no one knows if he will ever recover.

Speaking to the Mail On Sunday’s YOU magazine about the family’s ordeal earlier this month, Kate revealed doctors had warned her Derek wouldn’t survive, and expressed her shock at seeing his appearance as his ‘worn-out and thin’ body struggled to fight the virus.

Derek, who she revealed has lost eight stone during the battle, is one of an estimated just five people in the world whose bodies have been damaged so much by Covid.

Kate recalled: ‘Doctors were saying, “He’s not going to make it.’

Unable to breathe, he was put into a medical coma to give his lungs a rest. Before he went under, he called Kate and said, “I love you, you’ve saved my life.”

For several weeks, the family’s only contact with Derek was through hospital staff, so when Kate first saw her husband, she found him unrecognisable.

Kate recalled: ‘When I finally got to FaceTime him, seeing him unconscious was a big shock.

‘He’s lost nearly eight stone in weight, a lot of it muscle throughout his body. He looked worn-out, thin and pale with dark circles under his eyes and there were lots of tubes.’  

Kate contracted coronavirus herself at the same time as Derek, but made a full recovery.

Kate contracted coronavirus herself at the same time as Derek, but made a full recovery. 

Last month, the presenter discussed wanting to donate her blood plasma to Derek in a bid to help him in his battle.

The TV host said she she was ‘desperately researching anything she could do to help’ her husband who remains very sick in hospital.

Her GMB co-host Adil Ray, 46, said: ‘On the show last week, you would have seen Kate talking about the potential importance of blood plasma transfusions for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.

‘That day the number of people offering to donate went up 300 per cent.

Kate said: It’s a lovely lovely thing. The process which is similar to giving blood, only takes 45 minutes and can be used to help treat patients who aren’t producing enough of their own antibodies to fight COVID-19.

‘The reason it’s popped up, why I was talking about it, was because when Derek first got sick, I was desperately researching anything I could do to help.

‘I watched him be consumed by the virus despite all the brilliant efforts of those around trying to help him in the NHS.’

She continued: ‘I was told at the time, because it was one of the ideas I had, ‘what about giving my blood, there are antibodies in my blood because I’ve had it, will that help?’ they said no because the trials for it hadn’t really started.

‘I started talking about it last week because I found out that now it is being used which is fantastic.’

Adil said: ‘Kate, I will say this, you’re so inspiring at a time like this.’

Kate replied: ‘I don’t know about that, I feel very emotional about it actually, not just the idea that people are coming forward but that it might save lives.

Kate revealed she is reluctant to talk about Derek ‘every week’ on the show as she doesn’t want to upset viewers, but was reassured by Adil that she has been ‘inspiring.’

Kate said Derek ‘is very much still with us,’ but it is still a ‘waiting game’.

In July Derek emerged from his deep coma and started showing some signs of consciousness, occasionally opening his eyes.

Only a few weeks ago, Kate was finally allowed to visit Derek in hospital. Coronavirus precautions mean the children and Derek’s parents haven’t been able to yet.

She admitted: ‘I see him quite infrequently, not as often as I’d wish’. 

Discussing the moment doctors told her that Derek may never recover, Kate confessed that she threw up in shock.

She said: ‘We hope and believe he will come out of it, but we just don’t know.

‘The heart of the family has been ripped out and we don’t know if we will ever get it back.’

Giving an update on his condition, she continued: ‘At first it was all about Derek’s lungs.

‘But then his kidneys started failing and he was on dialysis. Now they’ve realised Covid can affect every cell of the body: most recently Derek’s been having problems with his intestines.

‘The absorption of food and vomiting are problems and they’re trying to work out whether that’s because his cells don’t produce the enzymes to digest.

‘His liver and heart and blood vessels have been affected.’

Last month, Kate revealed she paid an ‘extra emotional’ first visit to Derek, as he continues to slowly recover from COVID-19. 

The Good Morning Britain presenter also told Ben Shephard that it was ‘lovely’ to see her partner as (28 July) was his 53rd birthday, but she continues to be ‘frustrated’ by his slow progress.

Kate told Ben: ‘I did go and see Derek, he’s had a tough couple of weeks, and it’s just frustrating.

‘It would have actually been his birthday today so I was extra emotional so I was thinking about the day he was born.

She added: ‘What the doctor said to me was, ‘Sometimes, Kate, a day when nothing has gone backwards is a positive’.’

As Ben agreed that Derek had ‘a stable day,’ Kate added: ‘It’s just I’m desperate for a step forward. It’s always lovely to see him and so it’s wonderful to have the chance to see him.’

Kate and Derek married in 2005, and share daughter Darcey, 14, and son Billy, 11.

Earlier this year, Kate took a break from work in order to look after their children in lockdown and be there for Derek.

The journalist made a welcome to present Good Morning Britain in July after being away for 14 weeks and has now announced she will be returning to her Smooth Radio show so Derek ‘can hear my voice as well as many of the songs we both love.’

The broadcaster also confirmed she would be heading back to the Global studios in London to record her show from 10am to 1pm everyday, after her friend Myleene Klass filled in for her.

As she announced her return to the airwaves, Kate acknowledged the frightening circumstances she currently faces, but hopes work will provide a welcome distraction for both herself and her husband.

She said to The Sun: ‘I’m delighted to be returning to my morning show on Smooth and to my Global family who have been a big support to me. 

‘Things are still hugely challenging and a long way from being normal, but I’d like to think that this will give Derek yet another opportunity to hear my voice as well as many of the songs we both love.

‘My heartfelt thanks go to Myleene Klass who has been brilliantly caretaking the show for me and to all my regular listeners for their messages of support.’

Throughout all this, Kate has been holding the fort at home, trying to present a chipper front for the sake of the children.