Kate Garraway has been hailed by her Good Morning Britain colleague Alex Beresford after she admitted that her husband’s fight for life is taking its toll on her mental health.
The 53-year-old TV presenter has admitted that she is at her “absolute limit” as Derek Draper fights the effects of Covid-19 in intensive care, where he has been since March.
Kate returned to work on the ITV breakfast show in the past fortnight and Alex, who presents the weather, has admitted to being “in awe” of Kate, as she copes with one of the more challenging periods in her life.
Meteorologist Alex wrote in The Sun that he has found Kate’s return to TV “uplifting” and he hopes that it has “given her the lift she needs to keep herself, her husband Derek and the kids going.”
The mother-of-two has said that her last visit to see Derek was “difficult” and has hoped that doctors would start making some progress with her husband’s health.
Alex said that her strength has been impressive and admitted: “I can’t begin to imagine what it’s been like for her, with Derek battling Covid-19 in intensive care since March.”
He continued to write: “I have been in awe of how she’s handled herself in public – and like the true professional she is, Kate’s strength has shone.”
Alex said that he first saw how Kate’s inner strength came to the fore when she took on the Prince’s Trust Palace To Palace 45-mile charity bike ride with no training under her belt.
Despite such little training, Kate overcame “points when her body was giving up,” to make it a mind over matter exercise and Alex said she “crossed the line at Windsor Castle with Ben Shephard and me at her side.”
Kate showed off similar combative skills when in the Australian jungle, where she impressed viewers of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!
Alex continued his praise, writing: “Although what’s happened to Derek is incomparable, I saw her fight and know she has what it takes to keep battling for her husband.”
Kate told Good Morning Britain viewers on Tuesday that “It was quite a tough visit [on Monday], he has had a tough couple of weeks, and it’s frustrating.
“It’s Billy’s actual birthday so I think I was extra emotional, because you think about the day he was born and Derek’s involvement and how much Derek would have liked to have been present, so it was very emotional.”
Kate continued: “But what the doctor said to me is, ‘Sometimes, Kate, a day where nothing has gone backwards and nothing has gone wrong is a positive one’.
“So it’s a stable day, but I am desperate for a step forward.
“But it’s always lovely to see him so it’s wonderful to have the chance to do that. “
Derek’s recovery will be a slow process as the virus has “attacked everything”, leaving him with clots in his lungs, holes in his heart and made him diabetic, and doctors have warned Kate that Derek might never recover from the damage done to his body.