Kate Garraway will spend Christmas at her husband Derek Draper’s bedside in hospital after he suffered a heart attack last week, Daily Mail News has reported.
The Good Morning Britain host, 56, has cancelled all of the TV work commitments hold at 24/7 vigil with Derek, 56, following his latest health setback.
Derek has been plagued with health woes after contracting Covid in 2020 and is now said to be in critical condition after being taken dangerously ill last Monday.
It has been reported that Derek had been ‘doing well’ and was looking forward to spending Christmas with Kate and their children Darcey, 17, and Billy, 14.
However following the heart attack, Kate will apparently be by Derek’s side as he fights to recover in hospital.
Kate Garraway will spend Christmas at her husband’s bedside in hospital after he suffered a heart attack last week, the Mirror has reported (pictured September 2023)
Derek has been plagued with health woes after contracting Covid in 2020 and is now said to be in critical condition after being taken dangerously ill last Monday
A source said: ‘Derek suffered a massive heart attack which has left him fighting for his life all over again. It was sudden and a shock as he had been doing well and was in great spirits, looking forward to Christmas at home with the family.
‘We just hope there will be some more positive news soon as he has been in such a long and tough battle with his health. Kate’s only focus right now is Derek and her family.
Kate been showered with support from fans following the news of Derek’s major heart attack which left him fighting for his life once again.
On Monday morning, her GMB co-stars sent an emotional message of support following the news about Derek’s ill health.
Speaking on the morning news show, Charlotte Hawkins said: ‘We wanted to start with an update. You have seen that Derek, Kate’s husband, is sadly very poorly at the moment.
‘We want to let Derek, Kate and the whole family know we are thinking of them, and that we’re sending them our very best wishes’
Richard Madeley added: ‘It is a very difficult time’, as Charlotte agreed: ‘Extremely difficult. Lots of love.’
Following the news fans rushed to X, formerly known as Twitter, the send Derek their prayers and branded Kate ‘amazing and strong’ for her continued resilience.
With one writing: ‘Kate so sorry to read about Derek. Keep strong and keep believing he will pull through. He is a fighter! Sending love!’.
And now GMB presenter Kate is said to be holding a 24/7 vigil by his bedside and has cancelled all work commitments while his family ‘pray for a miracle’ (pictured in April)
On Monday morning, her GMB co-stars sent an emotional message of support following the news about Derek’s ill health
While a second said: ‘Kate Garraway you are the most amazing strong woman I have ever known. I wish Derek a speedy recovery and you all as a family a positive outcome xxx’.
Another commented: ‘Kare heard the news my thoughts and prayers are with you and your whole family stay strong’.
A fourth typed: ‘Sending special thoughts to Kate Garraway and her family and hoping Derek keeps strong’.
And: ‘@KateGarraway just read Derek has had a heart attack. So sorry. You’ve all been through so much. sending hugs’.
With someone else writing: ‘So sorry to hear about Derek having a heart attack on top of what he’s been through, my thoughts are with you and your family during this difficult time’.
‘Sending love and big hugs’ another fan wrote.
While another fan commented: ‘Am really praying for your family it has been so tough for you all please try and keep your spirits up thinking of you all’.
Yet another wrote: ‘My love goes out to Kate Garraway and her children lets hop[e and pray he’ll pull through’.
Following the heartbreaking turn of events it has been reported that Derek was ‘in great spirits’ and looking forward to Christmas with his family (pictured with children Darcey and William in 2018)
Fans rushed to X, formerly known as Twitter, the send Derek their prayers and branded Kate ‘amazing and strong’ for her continued resilience
Following the heartbreaking turn of events it has been reported that Derek was ‘in great spirits’ and looking forward to Christmas with his family.
A source told The Sun: ‘It was sudden and a shock as he had been doing so well and was in great spirits, looking forward to Christmas at home with the family.
‘This setback has been a huge blow for his family and all the people caring for him.
‘Kate has been utterly incredible — by his side while being an amazing mum to Darcey and Billy, and trying to manage their expectations of a family Christmas.’
Derek has been in and out of hospital after he fell seriously ill with coronavirus at the very start of the pandemic in March 2020, and was left with lasting damage to his organs.
Doctors put him in a medically induced coma and he became the longest-suffering coronavirus patient in the UK after spending 13 months in hospital, apart from Kate and their two children – Darcey, 16 and Billy, 13.
However, he has readmitted several times with numerous health issues, including kidney failure, brain inflammation and liver damage.
Kate recently revealed her family are ‘adjusting to a new normal’ as Derek battles to get better and shared a ‘promising’ update on Derek’s health, hoping it could lead to an improvement.
Good Morning Britain presenter Kate, 56, is said to be holding a 24/7 vigil by his bedside and has cancelled all work commitments while his family ‘pray for a miracle’
Speaking to OK! magazine, Kate shared: ‘Derek’s in hospital having some treatment. It’s not an emergency thing, it’s not a dramatic rush back into intensive care, thank goodness. It’s something that started last year that we hope will lead to improvement.
‘I’ve managed to get it in before the end of the year. It’s something we were trying to do in the summer, but there are referrals and time and all of those things.
‘Every day we wait and see. There isn’t a dramatic improvement but touch wood things haven’t gone backwards either. So we’re just adjusting to a new normal.’
While Kate tries to stay as positive as she can, she also feels like Derek is never ‘safe’.
Earlier this year, Kate revealed she was planning to take Derek to Mexico for a second bout of experimental treatment in a desperate bid to save him from the devastating effects of Covid.
Following a previously ‘gruelling’ trip to Mexico at the beginning of 2022, Kate shared her hopes at flying Derek back for an additional round of treatment.
Kate told The Sun: ‘The effort required to get him there is extraordinary, and obviously we are relying on the grace of these specialists to help him.
‘I can’t thank all those involved in getting him to Mexico enough because without them he wouldn’t have the chance of this potentially life-changing treatment.’
She added: ‘The plan is to go back for another round of treatment and continue the trial in a way that is financially viable.’
Although Kate insisted that they’d had ‘wonderful treatment’ from the NHS, which were essential in keeping her husband alive, the foreign trips offer ‘potentially life saving treatment’.
As well as the trip, the Smooth Radio presenter has had to spend ‘tens of thousands of pounds’ adapting the family home in London for Derek, which included the installation of ramps, a downstairs wet room and a makeshift downstairs bedroom.
Due to the severity of his illness and length of time spent in hospital he remains unable to walk and has developed debilitating symptoms.
Doctors put him in a medically induced coma and on a ventilator and he was in hospital for 13 months before being discharged in April 2021. However, he has been readmitted several times
Kate was recognised with an MBE in the 2022 New Year Honours for her services to broadcasting, journalism and charity (pictured with Kate’s parents Marilyn and Gordon)
In summer last year Derek developed sepsis and was again rushed to hospital, where the severe condition nearly killed him.
She shared the ‘heartbreak’ she feels over Derek’s health while on new podcast Emotionally Speaking with host Peter Leonard.
She explained: ‘He is living in the world of the unknown, when he wakes u pin the morning it is heartbreaking because it feels as though you are watching someone who may have been inhabiting his old life in his dreams and then he wakes up and you see the cloud descend of the battle he has ahead.
Kate Garraway
‘But if you look back, there is some progress, he has more words now and his voice is stronger. You occasionally get a little bit of a Chorley accent in there so it feels like he is more present, but he still can’t sit up without assistant and his life isn’t his own.
‘His brain had always been his allay and friend, but now it is his enemy. I think he’s had a big emotional struggle.
Kate added: ‘One of the challenges with Derek is we’ve never felt like he is safe, so every infection and rush back to hospital might be the moment he is taken from us. We are still hopeful he will improve but we have no clear timeline on this.
It comes after Kate appeared on Heart Breakfast in September alongside Amanda Holden and Jamie Theakston where she spoke about her husband’s health problems and how it impacts the family.
Kate and Derek share daughter Darcey, 17, and son William, 14.
Jamie asked: ‘How are the kids feeling, that adjustment must be tricky especially at their age?’
Kate spoke about how her and Derek’s daughter Darcey, 17, and son William, 14, are dealing with their father’s illness, gushing that they were ‘navigating it brilliantly’ (pictured in 2021)
Kate appeared on Heart Breakfast in September with Amanda Holden and Jamie Theakston where she spoke about her husband’s health problems and how it impacts the family
Kate replied: ‘Well, yeah I think it’s been quite interesting. I think some of what I’ve been writing about in the book, is the fact that you have adrenaline, don’t you, when something dramatic happens.
‘I talk about what I think is adrenaline, it’s a bit of a frenemy. One level it’s fantastic, it gets you through the crisis, and then as time goes on, it’s not great for your own health.
‘Derek himself has been living on a version of adrenaline as well. And the kids have too in their own way, so I think the last year and a half really, has been coming to terms with the fact that we’re not in a ‘one week’ ‘two week’ ‘three month’ drama.
‘We’re in something ongoing and I think weirdly, that’s how it’s felt for everybody beyond the pandemic.
‘We still don’t know, just how much better Derek can get, or worse. So really every time he has a rush into hospital, we’re still in that adrenaline phase of ‘is this the moment where he could be taken from us’.
‘But also, there’s so many spikes of progression, that no one’s giving up hope that there isn’t going to be a movement forward, so it’s managing that rollercoaster. Sorry that wasn’t particularly clear.’
‘But also, there’s so many spikes of progression, that no one’s giving up hope that there isn’t going to be a movement forward. So it’s managing that rollercoaster.’
Kate has made two documentaries detailing her life as Derek battles the long-term effects of Covid-19, with both winning National Television Awards in the authored documentary category.
She was recognised with an MBE in the 2022 New Year Honours for her services to broadcasting, journalism and charity.
