Robert RInder left Kate Garraway on the verge of tears as he paid an emotional on-air tribute to her right at the start of Tuesday's Good Morning Britain.
The two ITV stars joined forces for the first time to front the latest edition of the morning programme, with cameras rolling hours after it was announced that Kate had been nominated for a National Television Award for her documentary Caring for Derek, about her husband's battle against Covid, which left him in hospital for months fighting for his life.
News of Kate being on the shortlist for this year's NTAs comes nearly a year on from her taking home the Best Authored Documentary prize at last year's event for her first documentary, Finding Derek, which involved candid and often heartbreaking footage of Kate speaking to Derek via FaceTime while he remained in hospital.
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Sharing his delight at getting to host alongside Kate and paying tribute to her strength, Robert s aid ""First of all you're sunshine in human form.
"I just want to say more than anything else you model the possibility against the backdrop of darkness of being light in every sense. 'm so proud of you today with your amazing documentary, Caring For Derek, being shortlisted for a National Television Award."
He added: ""Your capacity to use the platform you have for change, for authenticity just makes me proud to know you."
Looking visibly moved by what Robert had to say, Kate responded: "Oh my god, that's so lovely. I'm gonna cry."
Robert's on-air speech about Kate on GMB arrived shortly after an equally touching post about her on Twitter. As they got ready to present the show in the studio, Robert uploaded a photo of them behind a desk and wrote: Chance made us colleagues. But the fun and laughter made us friends."
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