Lorraine Kelly has said she is “so bloody proud” of her Good Morning Britain colleague Kate Garraway as she praised her strength in dealing with her husband’s coronavirus battle.
Derek Draper was admitted to hospital in March with the virus, and while he is now “Covid-free”, the virus has done so much damage to his body it isn’t clear if he will fully recover.
Lorraine has spoken of Kate’s stoicism during her family’s four-month ordeal, as she prepares to return to work for the first time since Derek was hospitalised.
Writing in her column for The Sun, Lorraine said: “During that time she has been coping with the unimaginable pain and distress of her husband Derek battling for his life after contracting Covid-19.
“Kate has never once complained or asked: ‘Why me?’ She has simply soldiered on, reassuring and raising her children, praising the NHS and helping others in the same boat.
“At times it has been a lonely, miserable, tough voyage through uncharted waters. But Kate steered a stoic and steady course throughout.
“She’s watched the father of her children and the man she loves being attacked and ravaged by this vicious disease.
“Her hopes have been raised and dashed but throughout it all, Kate has never given up on Derek.”
She added: “I’m just so bloody proud of her, of [Kate and Derek’s children] Darcey and Billy too, and so pleased she will be back with us, where she belongs, on Monday.”
Kate spoke of her decision to return to GMB during a guest appearance on the ITV breakfast show this week.
Describing being in the studio again as being “like coming out of a little bubble of sadness”, she told Susanna Reid and Piers Morgan: “It’s life, it’s livelihood, it’s fear and anxiety, I have got to get on and do the things I’m good at. I’m going to come back on Monday, if you’ll have me, you two are going. I’ve not quite got the fight to be a Piers Morgan but I’m gonna be with Ben Shephard.
“The doctors have said I’ve got to get on, they’ve been worried about me.”
Although she revealed last weekend her husband was out of his induced coma, Kate also said Derek is still “desperately” ill and in a “minimal state of consciousness”, with doctors telling her they’ve never treated anyone so sick.
She said: “His eyes are opening but we have no knowledge of what he can see or hear.
“It’s a very desperate situation, it’s very difficult and of course there’s fantastic hope he is still alive... the doctors keep saying it is a miracle he’s still alive.”
Kate will be helping to cover for Piers and Susanna as they enjoy their annual summer break from GMB, presenting on Mondays and Tuesdays with Ben.
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays at 6am on ITV.