17 January 2024 , 11:46
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Kate Garraway is feeling worn out following the passing of her husband Derek Draper, and her friends are rallying around the star to support her during this time of "grief and absolute sadness", according to a close pal.
Derek sadly passed away on January 5 at the age of 56, nearly four years after falling ill with Covid. Kate and Derek, a political adviser, tied the knot in 2005 and had two children, Darcey, 17, and Billy, 14.
Since his death, Kate's friends have been taking turns to be with her, one of whom is Clare Nasir. She told Closer magazine : "She's devastated, she's broken. She's going from moments of real reflectiveness to moments where she's just crying." Clare also shared that Kate had been fighting for Derek's life for four years.
"She's been fighting for the right for Derek to live for four years now. It was a heck of a long journey for her and she was with him until he died. She didn't give up the fight until the very last moment," she added.
To ensure that Good Morning Britain presenter Kate, 56, and her kids receive the support they need, Clare revealed that their friends have set up a rota. "She's exhausted. When I was with her she'd had very little sleep. She'd been at Derek's bedside night and day while trying to care for her family," Clare added.
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"What do you do? What do you say? There's no light for her at the moment, just grief and absolute sadness. The other weekend there was a lot of making tea and cooking. We managed to play a couple of little games with the kids to add a little light. Kate waxed and waned it's just so sad to see, she's just broken."
Derek died at the age of 56 (James Gourley/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
Katie cruelly mocked Kate's grief (Instagram/ @_katie_hopkins_)Derek was struck down by Covid shortly after the UK entered the first lockdown during the pandemic in March 2020 - and was one of the worst affected Covid patients in the world. Derek was in a coma for almost three months and was left unable to speak. He remained in hospital for more than a year and was finally allowed home in April 2021 but required round the clock care.
Kate had flown Derek to Mexico in November to undergo a new treatment in the hope it would help his condition, however he suffered a heart attack while there. Kate flew him back to the UK where he was treated in an intensive care unit but sadly passed away due to complications.
Following Derek's sad passing, Katie Hopkins, 48, mocked Kate and her grief as she tries to navigate life without Derek. Addressing fans in a video she shared on social media, the disgraced broadcaster discussed Kate’s family tragedy.
In the rant video, Hopkins gleefully swigged red wine while claiming to her followers that ITV was screening a Life After Derek TV special that night and that Kate had rushed out a book to discuss Derek’s tragic passing. Neither the TV documentary nor book exists. In the accompanying tweet, Hopkins wrote: "Important @ITV documentary tonight. #KateGarraway. #LifeAfterDerek allegedly sponsored by Fizzzzzzzeeerr" in reference to the vaccine company Pfizer, even though Derek caught Covid before the vaccine was invented. "Accompanying book available wherever you get your 100th boooooosta #ExcessDeaths," Hopkins added.
Her hurtful comments provoked a vicious backlash as political commentator Tan Smith said: "I’ve seen a lot of grim stuff on here, but seeing hateful psychopath Katie Hopkins, recording herself laughing whilst mocking Kate Garraway regarding the death of her husband, was one of the worst." Comedian Dom Joly added: "She is a pure sociopath- zero empathy, total grifter."
Piers Morgan also branded Hopkins "despicable" over her vile remarks about Kate and Derek. The 58-year-old broadcaster was a close friend of Derek and a former co-host with Kate on Good Morning Britain. After catching wind of her cruel outburst, Piers took to social media to repost an article about her commentary. In the tweet, he added the word: "Despicable."
The Mirror has reached out to Kate's representatives for comment on this story.
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