Kate Garraway and husband
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Kate Garraway told to ‘get out’ of marriage amid Derek’s health ordeal

They've been married for years

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Kate Garraway once revealed that she was told she could “get out” of her marriage as her husband Derek Draper‘s health battle wasn’t what she “signed up for”.

Viewers were recently given a closer look at Derek’s health ordeal during Kate’s open and honest documentary, Kate Garraway: Caring for Derek.

And it was clear for anyone to see that she is entirely devoted to her husband.

Kate Garraway and husband Derek
Kate and Derek have been married since 2005 (Credit: SplashNews.com)

Derek Draper’s battle with Covid

Derek contracted COVID-19 back in March 2020 and was hospitalised shortly afterward.

The now 54-year-old was placed in an induced coma as he remained in intensive care for 10 weeks.

Derek stayed in the hospital for a year after that and continues to suffer from the devastating effects of Long COVID.

Read more: Kate Garraway’s husband Derek hugs son Billy in touching documentary moment 

He is now seriously incapacitated and requires around-the-clock care.

His muscles are seriously depleted from not being able to move, and whether he will ever fully recover is unknown.

During the documentary made about his health ordeal last year, his wife of 17 years, Kate, revealed something someone said to her that left her stunned.

Garraway’s Good Stuff host Kate revealed that she was told it would be “okay” to walk away from her husband.

Kate Garraway and husband Derek
Kate Garraway’s husband Derek is suffering from the after-effects of COVID-19 (Credit: SplashNews.com)

What was Kate Garraway told about Derek Draper?

During the documentary last year, Kate said: “Somebody said to me the other day, ‘You are allowed to say this isn’t what I signed up for and get out’.

“‘I was like, ‘Oh my God.’ I mean, I know they meant it weirdly kindly as if almost giving me license. But I said, ‘I can’t think that! He’s in there!'” she said at the time.

Later in the documentary, Kate also revealed that she was considering quitting Good Morning Britain at the time to be Derek’s full-time carer.

Speaking to her son, Billy, Kate said: “You know that we are hoping that dad will get better and better, but when he comes home he will probably need to be in a wheelchair, so we are trying to make it so he can do all this.

“And if I have to give up work to care for him then it is best to do it now when I am earning money.”

However, Kate has since continued her role at GMB as Derek continues his recovery at home.

Kate Garraway son hugs dad Derek in documentary
Billy hugs Derek in emotional scenes (Credit: ITV)

What else did Kate Garraway say about Derek Draper?

Kate also revealed in the documentary that Derek was the sickest person doctors in the lung hospital had ever treated who’d lived.

“His kidneys have failed, his liver has failed, his heart is being supported with medicine,” she said at the time.

“So the best way of coping with that is to think, ‘What have I got control over?’ and I guess that is making sure the children feel okay.”

Read more: Kate Garraway reveals husband Derek’s secret trip abroad for treatment 

In April last year, Derek was released from the hospital and is now back at home. However, he is now receiving round-the-clock care.

Kate has since revealed that she and Derek went on a secret trip to Mexico for some pioneering treatment.

However, Kate said that Derek isn’t “out of the woods” yet. She said that he still has a long way to go with his recovery.

Garraway’s Good Stuff airs Saturdays on ITV at 8.30am.

'He's Doing Good' Kate Garraway Shares Emotional Update On Husband Derek Ahead Of New Doc | GMB

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Robert Emlyn Slater
Senior Writer