Kate Garraway reveals how her family celebrated husband Derek Draper’s birthday as he remains in hospital

Kate Garraway and her children did their best to celebrate Derek Draper’s birthday over the weekend as the former lobbyist remains in hospital.

Draper, 53, is still receiving treatment after being diagnosed with coronavirus in March and facing a huge battle to recover from the “extraordinary damage” the virus has caused to his body.

Speaking on Good Morning Britain today, Garraway, 53, revealed that it was her husband's birthday on Saturday and while she could not visit him, the family found a touching way to celebrate.

Labelling the occasion “challenging”, Garraway explained: “We managed to FaceTime him and sing happy birthday, we had a cake which we had on FaceTime.”

“They’re are doing brilliantly with it though,” she said of her two children, Darcey and Billy. “We did it with Derek’s family as well, we managed to hook up technically and sing happy birthday. We just hope the love seeps through.”

Garraway returned to GMB earlier this month in a bid to provide a sense of normality for their children.

She has been absent for the past two days and explained today that she simply swapped shifts with fellow host Charlotte Hawkins.

Nurses treating Draper have been playing GMB live, telling Garraway that he seems “engaged and focused” when the weekday breakfast show is on.

The presenter has spoken openly about Draper’s current condition on numerous occasions, recently telling fans: “He has challenges with his food with and with his lungs, and it's a waiting game really.

"I'm lucky I've got the chance to wait and he's still with us and lots of people don't have that."