Kate Garraway, the Good Morning Britain presenter, has shared how she ended up in hospital due to the stress and pressure of caring for her husband Derek Draper during his health struggles.
The recent documentary showing the final weeks of Derek’s life revealed several heartbreaking details about the challenges faced by Kate and their two children in providing the care Derek needed. They looked after him during his four-year health battle with the help of multiple carers, costing £16,000 a month.
The strain of looking after Derek, who sadly passed away in January aged 56, became so severe for Kate, also 56, that she was hospitalised. Her own mental and physical health were affected by Derek’s condition and its impact on her family and children, daughter Darcey, 18, and son Billy, 15.
Read more: Martin Lewis says get £565 paid directly into your account with one Santander change
‘Derek’s Story’, which aired on ITV, offered viewers a glimpse into the former politician’s tragic final year with his family while battling his illness. After Derek’s death in January, Kate had to defend herself against unkind trolls who accused her of not grieving ‘properly’ when she returned to work just weeks after her husband’s passing.
Kate confessed that she struggled to accept Derek’s passing. She also expressed her discomfort about releasing the new documentary, but she didn’t want to disappoint her supporters or Derek, who wished for his story to be shared, reports the Mirror.
Kate has previously chronicled Derek’s ongoing health struggle in the documentaries Caring for Derek and Finding Derek, and she wanted to communicate his message of never giving up on loved ones.
Get all the latest celebrity and TV news straight to your inbox by signing up to our newsletter here.
The distressing documentary also highlighted how the strain of caring for a sick family member can affect one’s mental and physical health. It was revealed that Kate was hospitalised due to the stress of her heartbreaking family situation.
During these sad moments, a close friend of Kate’s expressed worry that the Good Morning Britain presenter might end up back in the hospital. “Kate was on her way here, and she had pains in her chest and throw up over herself in the car. It was just that moment of ‘Christ, even the woman that we thought could go on forever,'” her friend and radio producer disclosed.
She explained that Kate had to keep working to cover Derek’s massive care bill, but her friend was scared for her when Kate had to be rushed to the hospital after falling ill on her way to work. In Kate’s last documentary about Derek, we hear him say: “I am Derek Draper. I want people to hear my story”.
The film also explores Derek’s political career, his early relationship with Kate, and his health during the Covid pandemic. Derek’s battle with Covid was widely reported before his sad passing.
Get breaking news in Yorkshire straight to your phone
Get all the latest big and breaking Yorkshire news straight to your mobile via WhatsApp by clicking here.
If you don’t like our community, you can leave any time. We also treat members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. Read our privacy notice here.
Read More: World News | Entertainment News | Celeb News
YorkshireLive
