Kate Garraway has said continuing with her late husband’s documentary following his death in January was a “painful process”.
Former lobbyist-turned-psychologist and author Derek Draper died on January 5 aged 56 after suffering a heart attack just before Christmas almost four years after he first fell seriously ill with Covid.
Mr Draper contracted Covid in the early stages of the pandemic back in March 2020, resulting in a year-long stint in hospital and life-altering damage caused by the disease which required 24-hour care.
Garraway, who was married to the former Labour spin doctor for 18 years and shared children, Darcey, 18, and Billy, 14, supported him throughout and was there until the very end, holding his hand.
Following his death, the broadcaster said she considered not continuing with the ITV doc, titled Kate Garraway: Derek's Story, but decided to carry on as otherwise she would be “abandoning all of those thousands of people who felt as though they had a voice with him”.
Appearing on Thursday’s Good Morning Britain, she told colleagues Susanna Reid and Ed Balls: “It was a painful process for me and the family to think if it's right to show this now, will it be too much?
“I thought in January I don't think we can now but then I thought actually he wanted to tell a story about the caring system from his position.”
She continued: “His words were 'you've got to carry on fighting for the people you love' so I think it will be quite moving to hear his voice - because not many people have heard his voice.
“I thought just because I am no longer lucky enough to be caring for Derek, that chapters passed, you can't give up the fight for caring. It would be abandoning all of those thousands of people who feel as though they have a voice with him.”
The new ITV programme follows the two previous award-winning films also made by Flicker Productions: Finding Derek and Caring for Derek.
According to a synopsis, it will “provide an insight into Draper’s personal struggles with illness and highlight the challenges faced by millions of people in the UK living with serious illness and disability and those who care for them.”
Filmed in May 2023, it will “confront head on the reality of Draper’s struggles and give an unflinching view of the effect on all those around while also capturing real moments of love and joy as they spend time together as a family.”
With around five million unpaid carers in England and Wales, the film also aims to highlight the often prohibitive costs as well as practical difficulties, of caring for people within their homes and features contributions from Jake, the care worker who supports Draper’s care, as well as Kathryn Smith, CEO from charity Social Care Institute for Excellence.
Viewers will also get a glimpse at Draper’s life before Covid, including his high-profile political career, as well his relationship with Garraway, their early years together and how Draper’s illness changed the nature of their dynamic while they maintained their close bond.
When asked why he wanted to take part in this film, Draper said: "I want to be heard."
For her part, Garraway said: “Obviously when we started making this documentary early last year, we had no idea the events that would unfold that ultimately took Derek from us.
“And in January 2024, I wondered if it was right that it should ever come to air. But I didn’t want to let those who have given us so much support over the last four years down, and the carers paid and unpaid who in their thousands of letters to me, feel Derek’s story has given them a voice.
“Also, I remembered so vividly that the idea of making this third documentary at all came from Derek himself.”
