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Ben Shephard praises Kate Garraway for being ‘incredible resilient’ as husband Derek Draper remains in hospital

Good friends: BEn Shephard and Kate Garraway at a GMB event in January: Getty Images
Good friends: BEn Shephard and Kate Garraway at a GMB event in January: Getty Images

Ben Shephard has praised the “incredibly resilient” Kate Garraway for the strength she’s shown during her husband’s coronavirus fight.

Derek Draper was hospitalised back in March and placed in an induced coma to help his body fight off the virus.

While he has since tested negative for Covid-19, 53-year-old Draper’s body has suffered “extraordinary damage” and Garraway, also 53, has said doctors “don’t know how much better he can get.”

In a bid to provide "a world" for their two children, Darcey and Billy, Garraway has decided to return to Good Morning Britain, having temporarily stepped down from hosting duties when Draper was hospitalised.

This morning, Shephard, 45, praised Garraway for taking the “important step” in returning to work.

"She's been incredibly resilient, incredibly strong and positive for her own mental health,” he said.

Shephard also revealed that his family recently spent the day with Garrraway’s, continuing: “We saw Kate and the kids a few weekends ago when we could finally all get together and we spent a really lovely day in a place near us called Thames Young Mariners.

“It's a lake just opposite the Thames where you can go on a paddleboard. Kate and Darcey and Billy, and me and [my children’ Sam and Jack and [wife] Annie went out and had the most fantastic day with the kids, on the paddleboard."

“It's great because it's such a big space and you can talk to each other but it's outdoors and that was so important because we could actually see each other in real life.

Shepherd added that to have Garraway returning to the studio “where she belongs” is “an important moment.”

Back in the studio: Garraway was interviewed by Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid (ITV)
Back in the studio: Garraway was interviewed by Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid (ITV)

Garraway announced her decision to return to the show during an interview in Wednesday’s episode.

“My job now is to make them [the kids] feel safe, and like they have a future and a world,” she said. “And whatever happens with Derek, we hope and believe he can come back to us.

“To see me get on... they're going to go back to school in September."

The star also revealed that Draper and his illness have been key in helping doctors learn more about Covid-19.

“They’ve changed pathways because of Derek,” she said. “They’re checking for things earlier on in other patients, which is a wonderful thing I think he would be very pleased about.”