Kate Garraway says kindness of strangers helped her through darkest times

Kate Garraway hails 'kindness of strangers' during husband Derek's Covid battle

Kate Garraway has said the kindness of strangers has helped her through this "grimmest of times" as husband Derek Draper remains in hospital one year after he contracted coronavirus.

The Good Morning Britain presenter — whose husband has been in hospital since March last year after contracting COVID-19 — spoke to Hello! magazine about what she had learned from he pandemic.

Garraway, 53, said: "In the darkest of times you can find goodness and love just when you need it most and helping each other is the only way we will get through this grimmest of times.

Read more: Kate Garraway fears not seeing loved ones isn't helpful for husband amid COVID fight

"I've learnt about the kindness of strangers. It has been the toughest of times for me and my family, as it has for so many others and the good wishes and sympathy from viewers and listeners has really helped.

"To know so many people are thinking of me and sending love has given me hope and strength and I'm very grateful."

The TV presenter recently revealed it has been two months since she and her children - daughter Darcey, 14, and son Billy, 11 - have been able to visit Draper, 53, in hospital new to lockdown restrictions.

She said last month: "I haven't seen him since Christmas, which of course means he's back into a situation where he's looking at strangers in masks.

“And you know, I think that's the situation for everybody, they've got somebody in the hospital at the moment, it's not unique to him. It's tough. It's also the same for people in care homes."

Asked by co-host Ben Shephard if she meant that seeing people he knew could possibly be beneficial to Draper, Garraway agreed: “I feel like it is.”

Read more: Kate Garraway writing book about husband Derek Draper's coronavirus battle

Draper fell ill with COVID-19 in March 2020 and was placed in a medically-induced coma from which he has still not fully recovered.

In October the former I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! contestant revealed he had said his first word – which was “pain”.

Garraway and Draper have been married since 2005.

Watch: Kate Garraway has kept GMB viewers up to date on her husband's condition