Kate Garraway has revealed husband Derek Draper is back in hospital as she detailed his tearful meeting with music icon Elton John earlier this week.
The broadcaster said she, Draper and their kids, Darcey, 17, and Billy, 13, were left in tears when John dedicated his hit, Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me, to them during a recent gig at London’s O2 arena.
They family had travelled from their North London home to the South East London music venue for the singer’s Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour.
It was quite a feat for Draper, who is thought to be the UK’s worst-affected Covid survivor after contracting it in 2020, and has since experienced ongoing health issues.
While discussing the moment on Thursday’s Good Morning Britain, Garraway revealed that Draper was back in hospital, but didn’t clarify the reason why, instead focusing on how much their outing reminded her of the support and love they’ve received in recent years.
She shared: “There’s a lot of things in life that I’ve looked at Derek, and he’s been back in hospital this week, and I’ve thought, ‘You’ve had such an incredible amount of bad luck’, but it’s a reminder of what incredible luck he’s had in terms of love.”
The Standard has contacted Kate Garraway’s rep for comment
Reflecting on their outing, the presenter told Adil Ray and Ranvir Singh that it had been her and the 76-year-old’s hope to get Draper to one of his concerts.
She said: “Wonderfully, with lots of planning and lots of kindness from Elton John, we managed to get Derek to see Elton John play and that was Elton’s goal because he’s been so supportive throughout.
“We spoke about this two, three years ago. He said, ‘Wouldn’t it be wonderful one day he could see me play?’
“So, we went along, made it happen thanks to so many people that were involved, their kindness and care.”
Garraway then added that the whole family was in tears after John’s surprise dedication to his emotional song and heaped praise on the British hitmaker for his kindness.
While cutting to a clip of the heart-warming moment, she said: “We were crying from the second we walked into the O2 in London and then – completely surreally – this happened.
“I mean, I find it hard to listen to that song anyway without crying... there were people in tears around us. It was an amazing concert, three hours watching a living legend perform.
“All of us [were crying], Derek was crying, Billie, Darcey were crying. I mean it was amazing. He’s [Elton] been so kind since and phenomenal.”
The Smooth radio presenter also revealed that John made sure to make time to meet Draper following the concert, a moment Garraway said that left everyone emotional.
She continued: “They actually got to meet.
“We didn’t think we’d be able to connect them up but he [Elton] was brilliant and rushed off stage just as we were trying to get Derek out.
“Both of them were in tears, we all were and his kids as well.”
