Kate Garraway admits frustration at husband's progress after 'tough' hospital visit

Kate Garraway has admitted she is “desperate” for her husband Derek Draper’s condition to improve after an “extra emotional” hospital visit.

The Good Morning Britain presenter’s 52-year-old husband remains in a coma after almost dying from coronavirus and she opened up about visiting him on their son’s birthday.

Garraway told co-host Ben Shephard: “I did go and see Derek yesterday. It was quite a tough visit, he's had a tough couple of weeks, and it's just frustrating. It’s Billy’s actual birthday today so I was extra emotional because you think about the day he was born and Derek’s involvement and how much Derek would like to be present, so it’s very emotional.”

The 53-year-old TV presenter admitted she could not help feeling frustrated that Draper remains in a minimal state of consciousness, and while he has opened his eyes she still has no idea if he can see or hear her.

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She added: “What the doctor said to me was, ‘Sometimes, Kate, a day when nothing has gone backwards and nothing has gone wrong is a positive day.’ It’s a stable day.

“It's just I'm desperate for a step forward. It's always lovely to see him and so it's wonderful to have the chance to see him.”

Draper, a PR and former political adviser, contracted the COVID-19 in March and is now in a minimal state of consciousness after he failed to recover from a medically induced coma.

Garraway and her children Darcey, 14, and Billy, 11, have been limited in their contact with Draper due to coronavirus quarantine restrictions, and were previously only able to speak to him on Facetime.

The TV presenter – who took part in I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! last year – admitted earlier this month she was desperate to give her husband a hug.

She said: “I’ve been fighting to do that, but I'm respectful of what the doctors say.

“I said you can now shop in Primark, surely I can give him a hug?! And they say we’ve got to be careful. But I’m hoping we can do that soon.”

Read more: Kate Garraway sends love to husband Derek Draper after he responded to GMB

Garraway - who married Draper in 2005 - returned to work on the ITV breakfast show recently after more than 100 days supporting her husband through his COVID-19 battle.

The TV presenter revealed doctors had told her six times that her husband “isn’t going to make it” and that it is a miracle he is alive.

She said: “It’s a strange word, ‘coma’... he sort of can’t wake up... So, wonderfully, his eyes are opening but we have no real knowledge of what he can see or hear and feel.”

But she added that she is convinced Draper can hear her so she speaks to him everyday and the medical staff also put Good Morning Britain on TV for him.