Derek Draper's friends share emotional tributes as Kate Garraway announces husband's death at 56

Comedian Alan Carr shared his sadness for his friend Kate Garraway. Joining many stars from all walks of showbiz, he wrote beneath her Instagram post: "Oh Kate that's so awful. Sending you so much love and the deepest condolences."

Zoe Ball, mother of two, had joined the stars in sharing her heartache for Kate Garraway and her children. She sweetly wrote that Derek's star would be shining brightly for her. Beneath the Good Morning Britain star's post, she wrote in the comments: "So much love coming your way from so many. May Derek's star always shine brightest for you xxxx."

Singer Peter Andre had shared his sympathy for Derek Draper's family following the news of the former lobbyist's death. The Mysterious Girl hitmaker took to social media platform X to share his love and thoughts with these words:

Rob Rinder has become a friend of Kate Garraway's as the pair have often starred on Good Morning Britain together in the mornings. The star hailed his friend for never giving up the fight for her husband Derek Draper. In total awe and admiration, he shared these words:

Piers Morgan also posted on his social media account X to share some more kind words about Derek Draper and to praise his good friend Kate Garraway. Of his friend, he said she was "loving" and "loyal" as well as sharing his admiration for her "selfless devotion".

Piers Morgan has shared a powerful tribute to Derek Draper. The TV host praised him for his "courage and resilience" during his Covid battle but also remembered him for being a "brilliantly clever and funny man". Also, in his emotional message, he praised his good friend Kate Garraway for being "magnificent".

He too shared his devastation that Garraway and Draper were unable to renew their wedding vows the following summer after Garraway did I'm A Celebrity. He added: "This is a heartbreaking day for Kate and their two lovely children Darcey and Billy, and for Derek's family." In full, Piers wrote:

The brave family invited the cameras into their lives to document Derek Draper's battle with Covid. In the first documentary, Finding Derek, it revealed how the family had to adjust to their new way of life. Caring For Derek, the follow up, shared how they were still caring for Draper and its impact on their lives.

In 2021, Finding Derek won a National Television Award and Garraway was totally overwhelmed by the public's support. At the time, she said: "I wonder if the reason why you did is that our story is your story. I think we've all been touched by the pandemic, whether it's livelihoods, mental health, all the other extraordinary documentaries that have been highlighted and nominated tonight, they've also been affected by the pandemic."

In 2021, Kate Garraway revealed then-Prince Charles was the mystery royal who had shown Derek Draper great kindness during the Covid pandemic.

She previously had shared a member of the royal family had offered to enlist a royal physician to help when Draper was ill with Covid. They had expressed their hopes of helping them in a letter. But later in October 2021, it emerged the mystery royal was Charles. Garraway met him at a Prince's Trust Awards event where she shared her thanks.

At St James’s Palace, she said: "And you might not remember but you were very kind to me because my husband got very sick with Covid after the last Prince’s Trust awards. You wrote to me and gave me help, so thank you very much… and he did improve."

Kate Garraway and Derek Draper had hoped to tie the knot for a second time after a second romantic proposal in 2019. Before tragedy struck, the Good Morning Britain star had revealed her daughter Darcey was going to be in charge of the wedding.

She had playfully joked her daughter would love her to look like Kendall Jenner. She told Prima magazine: “I think she will probably want me to look like Kendall Jenner on the day which is going to be tough… I would love to look like Kendall Jenner as well, so good luck with that!"

They had initially hoped to set a date in summer 2020 before the Covid pandemic swept the globe. When Draper got ill in March 2020, they had to abandon their plans. At the time, she told The Mirror: "We’d planned the wedding for the end of summer, but I don’t suppose we’ll be booking anything now because we don’t really know what we can do."

Dan Walker was also among the celebrities paying tribute to Derek Draper. He acknowledged there were many lovely tributes to him. In his own words, Walker wrote:

Smooth Radio has supported Kate Garraway who is one of the stars of their radio station. Garraway usually plays music every weekday from 10am-1pm on Smooth Radio. Since March 2014, she has had her slot on Smooth Radio. The radio station shared the following post:

Kate Garraway and Derek Draper were introduced through a mutual friend, the former GMTV political editor Gloria De Piero. Initially Piero had asked Garraway if she had any single friends who would be interested in meeting Draper.

Their love story all started with a salmon-pink jumper. In the past, Garraway remembered how they first met in an interview with The Times. She previously said: "Derek arrived thinking it was a date and that I was being incredibly cool by ignoring him. He asked me out, but the day of our date called to say he had a clash.

"He'd promised to serve wine at an amateur watercolour painting exhibition at his church. I really thought it was a wind-up. But I turned up and he was indeed serving wine to the congregation in a salmon-pink jumper."

In a loving interview just months before he first was ill with Covid, Derek Draper said he was falling in love with his wife Kate Garraway all over again.

He gushed about his wife, saying that watching her on I'm A Celebrity in 2019 reminded him of how "funny", "clever" and "stunning" she is. Draper proudly declared his love for his wife in a sweet TV interview with Lorraine Kelly in December 2019.

At the time, Draper wore his heart on his sleeve as he shared his feelings for his wife on TV. He said: "I am falling in love with her all over again to be honest. Because you see how clever she is, funny, and stunning."

Just months later, Draper got ill with Covid at the start of the pandemic in 2020.

In the wake of the news, Martin Lewis looked back on his fond memories of having dinner with Derek Draper and his wife Kate Garraway. The Martin Lewis Money Show star celebrated Draper for being a "great big, warm, fun man". His tweet in full:

Gordon Brown had high praise for Derek Draper as he remembered the former political lobbyist as "brilliant, creative and multitalented" in a heartwarming tribute. The former prime minister, who followed Blair, said his thoughts were with Draper's family as he shared his tribute on social media platform X.

ITV's managing director of media and entertainment Kevin Lygo shared some kind words about Derek Draper. Lygo paid tribute saying the whole of ITV was "desperately sad" for Kate Garraway and her family following the news.

He said: "Everyone that has worked with Kate at ITV over the past few years are desperately saddened to hear this terrible news. Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with Kate and Derek's family and we will continue to offer our support in any way we can at this very difficult time."

The last photograph of Derek Draper showed him proudly by his wife Kate Garraway when she was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for her services to broadcasting, journalism and charity. They were joined by her parents Gordon and Marilyn Garraway for the special day. Garraway received the honour from the Prince of Wales during an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle, in Windsor, in June this year.

At the time, Garraway reflected on the day on her Instagram and she revealed it was so special to her to have her husband by her side. She wrote: "It was so wonderful to see Derek’s determination to be there., so kind of the Prince of Wales, to make it special for him & to recognise the work of Jake our incredible carer, who represents all those who make Derek’s daily life possible, and of course my long-suffering, Mum and Dad!"

She also shared: "It was also so humbling to meet all the others, much more deserving than myself, who were there to receive their honours. The Prince of Wales managed to make every single one of them feel as special as they are."

Kate Garraway has been hailed for helping to shine a light on the “selfless care” many family members give to their loved ones across the UK and the “very real challenges” they face.

The Good Morning Britain (GMB) presenter had been open about her family’s journey after her husband Derek Draper fell seriously ill with Covid-19 in March 2020.

Read the full story from PA.

Romantic Derek Draper popped the question to his wife Kate Garraway for the second time after she did her I'm A Celebrity stint in 2019.

Fondly looking back in an interview in 2020, the GMB star said her husband burst into tears when they were reunited after her jungle stint. During her time on I'm A Celebrity she didn't wear her engagement ring because TV bosses said don't take any jewellery.

Her husband then hatched the romantic plan. Later on, the TV star remembered how the former lobbyist proposed to her again in front of their two children in a heartwarming moment. "You’re told you can’t take any jewellery into the jungle. I didn’t want to take my wedding ring off, as I never have since we got married. But I did take my engagement ring off," she told Mail On Sunday’s You magazine.

"When Derek came to meet me after I left the jungle, he was planning to propose to me again [with the ring, in front of the TV cameras], but he got overwhelmed and burst into tears. The kids leapt out and surprised me, and Darcey said, “Oh Dad – you didn’t do it!” So he got down on one knee and proposed… and I said yes, obviously."

The couple were married in 2005 and raised their two children together - Darcey and Bill.

Former lobbyist and political adviser Derek Draper was part of one of Britain’s most prominent media power couples with his marriage to TV presenter Kate Garraway.

The New Labour spin doctor reached great heights of influence in the 1990s but became best known for his involvement in the “lobbygate” scandal, writes PA.

Derek Draper, who has died aged 56 after suffering prolonged complications from Covid-19, was a buccaneering back-room boy-turned lobbyist during the New Labour governments of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.

In later life he married the popular Good Morning Britain presenter Kate Garraway and trained as a psychotherapist, putting behind him “the unbalanced, stressed-out, empty existence” that he had led in Westminster. But the controversy that had dogged his name in his political days faded away after Draper became seriously ill with Covid in March 2020, writes The Telegraph.

ITV’s Loose Women opened its programme on Friday by reflecting on the death of Derek Draper, the husband of Good Morning Britain presenter Kate Garraway.

On Loose Women, Kaye Adams said: “We have all obviously been moved by Kate and the family’s journey over the last three or four years and so full of admiration for the way that they have dealt with the incredible challenges that they faced and as I say, the saddest of news.”

Coronation Street actress Sue Cleaver also hailed ITV broadcaster Garraway for her documentaries about life living with Mr Draper’s illness.

She said: “We all got to accompany Kate on this terrible journey through these amazing documentaries that she made.

“(It was) the darkest time of their lives, and yet she was still able to highlight the roles of carers everywhere today and my heart is just with them and so, so sorry to hear the news.”

ITV workers are “desperately saddened” to learn of the death of Derek Draper, husband of Good Morning Britain presenter Kate Garraway, a boss at the channel has said.

In a statement, Kevin Lygo, managing director of media and entertainment at ITV, said: “Everyone that has worked with Kate at ITV over the past few years are desperately saddened to hear this terrible news.

“Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with Kate and Derek’s family and we will continue to offer our support in any way we can at this very difficult time.”

ITV has axed a repeat of Kate Garraway's Life Stories in the wake of husband Derek Draper's death. Radio Times reports that the chat was due to air at 11pm on Saturday night, but that has now been dropped from the ITV1 schedule after Draper's death aged 56, and will be replaced by an episode of DNA Journey.

It has been almost three years since the former political advisor and lobbyist Derek Draper first fell ill with Covid in March 2020.

Read the full timeline of the late Derek Draper’s condition as Kate Garraway pays loving tribute to her late husband.

Good Morning Britain host Kate Garraway shared the news of her husband Derek Draper's passing on her Instagram account, alongside a photo of him.

It read: "I’m sad to have to tell you all that my darling husband Derek has passed away. As some of you may know he has been critically ill following a cardiac arrest in early December which, because of the damage inflicted by Covid in March 2020, led to further complications.

"Derek was surrounded by his family in his final days and I was by his side holding his hand throughout the last long hours and when he passed. I have so much more to say, and of course I will do so in due course, but for now I just want to thank all the medical teams who fought so hard to save him and to make his final moments as comfortable and dignified as possible.

"Sending so much love and thanks to all of you who have so generously given our family so much support. Rest gently and peacefully now Derek, my love, I was so lucky to have you in my life."

Good Morning Britain stars have rallied around their co-star Kate Garraway following her heartbreak. Charlotte Hawkins shared her sympathy for her friend. She wrote: "Kate, it's absolutely heartbreaking. So much love to you all." Susanna Reid added: "Our whole hearts are with you." ITV's Richard Arnold also wrote: "By your side always." Alongside his message was a heart emoji.

Sir Elton John reached out to Kate Garraway with a loving message following the news. His message read: "So sorry to hear of this news, Kate. Love and thoughts to you and your family x."

In April, Draper and Garraway had attended the Rocket Man's Farewell Yellow Brick concert at London's O2 Arena. They had been invited as guests of honour for the show. The singing superstar dedicated his song Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me to them.

Sir Elton told the crowd: "They’re inspiring. They’ve never given up and I’m so thrilled they’re here, I can’t believe they are here. I want to dedicate this song to the people I mentioned before, but especially to you guys."

Remembering the moment, Garraway shared the emotional moment with her fans on Instagram. At the time, she wrote: "So this was a moment. Finally found someone who had actually filmed it rather than just burst into joyous tears as we did!!! Still can’t quite believe we were there at all - even hours before we feared Derek would be too weak - but he was determined.

"Yes Derek has been back in hospital this week & yes there’s such a long road ahead but Elton John & David Furnish you gave the kids & Derek a moment that we will never forget and has lifted their spirits again to feel anything is possible. Thank you for your inspiring music and huge heart.

"Thank you too to everyone else who made the impossible possible. All the carers, the Rock Entertainment team , the gang The O2 London gang who work so hard to make concerts like this accessible & Addison Lee Cabs who worked hard to find suitable transport. We are bursting with gratitude xxx."

Garraway previously revealed she had played Elton John songs to her husband when he was in hospital. At the time, she said on Good Morning Britain: "Elton John contacted me. It was so strange. I was like, ‘Elton… John?’ We do have a mutual friend, which I didn’t know about.

She added: "And because of all the work he does with the Aids Foundation he was like, ‘What can I do to help? I know a bit about antiviral stuff. And I’m on board. I’ll try to help. He’s incredible."

Alastair Campbell shared his admiration for Derek Draper in the wake of the news. The former Labour Party spokesman shone a light on Draper's "huge character" and he celebrated him for being a "giver" in life. Also, he had great praise for Kate Garraway for her "profound love" of her husband.

This Morning presenters Dermot O'Leary and Alison Hammond held back tears as they announced Derek Draper's death live on Friday's show.

Hammond said: "We just want to say all of us here at This Morning are sending our love to you Kate and of course Darcy and Billy." Read the full story on The Evening Standard.

Lorraine Kelly has shared her deep sympathies for her friend and ITV co-star Kate Garraway. They have been friends for a long time and both work on ITV daytime TV. Underneath Garraway's loving tribute to her late husband, TV host Kelly reached out to offer her friend some support at this difficult time.

She wrote on Instagram: "So sorry Kate. You fought so hard. Just incredibly sad. Sending you love." Kelly joined many of Garraway's celebrity friends and fans alike who were sharing their heartbreak over Draper's death.

TV personality Carol Vorderman has said it was "heartbreaking" for Kate Garraway following the news of Derek Draper's death. The former Countdown star let the breakfast star know she was thinking of her with a thoughtful message on social media platform X. Vorderman also highlighted the touching moment in the GMB star's own tribute which revealed Garraway held her husband's hand in his final hours. She wrote:

Sir Tony Blair led the outpouring of tributes for his friend Derek Draper. The former prime minister remembered his "special" friend in an emotional post and hailed him as a "loving, kind, generous and good natured man".

He said: "I am so sad to hear the news about Derek. My heart goes out to Kate and their children William and Darcey. It is extraordinary and remarkable that Derek survived so long after the ravages of Covid.

"And that was in large measure due to the love Derek had for his family and they for him. This also says something very special about Derek. He was a tough sometimes ruthless political operative, a brilliant adviser and someone you always wanted on your side.

"But underneath that tough exterior he was a loving, kind, generous and good natured man you wanted as a friend. He was an important part of the New Labour story, at the centre of things right at the beginning. But most important of all, he was a good colleague and great friend. And we will miss him deeply."