Kate Garraway has opened up about her changing relationship with husband Derek Draper saying they have a ‘new way’ of loving each other as he continues to battle the effects of Covid-19.
The 54-year-old TV presenter has been married to 54-year-old former political lobbyist Derek since 2005 and together they have two children; 15-year-old daughter Darcey and 12-year-old son William.
The family’s lives were thrown into chaos in March 2020 when Derek was struck down with Covid-19 and hospitalised – where doctors put him into an induced coma and he has since become one of the UK’s most high-profile patients affected by the virus.
Almost two years since Derek entered hospital for a 13 month stay, Kate says she and her husband have reached a whole new way of understanding each other.
She told You magazine: “I’m not sure that we’ve ever fallen out of love, but I think a new path is emerging, a new way to be in love.
“He puts huge trust in me. He just says, “Whatever you think”, which is wonderful, but I do get quite tearful about it. I think, “God, I hope I’m worthy of that trust”.
“But I’ve got his back. That is a relationship in itself, isn’t it? How many times do couples have doubts about each other?”
She also added that she has found a positive way of looking at their difficult scenario as they are “very close” and have a “certainty of each other.”
Kate has been an open book about the struggles she has faced since Derek was hospitalised in March 2020 and his continued recovery after he returned home 13 months later.
She welcomed cameras into the family home last year to make a documentary called Finding Derek which went on to win a National Television Award and will reportedly see a sequel released later this year.
And at the beginning of this year, Kate was gobsmacked to be awarded an MBE by The Queen in her annual New Year Honours list.
A source close to Kate told new! magazine back in January: “This is all of Kate’s dreams coming true, this is what she hoped would come from her doing I’m A Celebrity in 2019, but the pandemic happened and Derek then obviously got so ill.
“Winning the NTA, taking over from Piers on Life Stories, it’s the most bittersweet thing because Derek is still not well.
“She is so strong, having to juggle caring for Derek and work. It’s very difficult because the kids are still young and having to deal with their dad being how he is, it’s very tough.”
The source went on to hint Kate is under pressure as she balances work, parenting 15-year-old daughter Darcey and 12-year-old son Billy on top of caring for Derek.
They said: “Kate is the sole breadwinner for the house now, and that comes with pressures. But she can’t believe she’s in the position she’s in work-wise, it’s just so sad Derek’s not well enough to fully see it because he is her biggest supporter.”
