Kate Garraway has revealed husband Derek Draper is struggling to communicate, as he continues to recover from Covid-19.
The Good Morning Britain presenter, 54, was speaking with The Bill star Chris Ellison about his own health battle when she made the admission.
The actor, who played DCI Frank Burnside on the axed ITV police series, is suffering from aphasia - the same speech-debilitating condition Bruce Willis was recently revealed to be living with.
Aphasia is a neurological disorder caused by damage to the portions of the brain that are responsible for language production or processing.
Chris was diagnosed with the condition after suffering from a severe stroke almost two years ago.
Speaking to the actor and his wife Anita, mum-of-two Kate shared that husband Derek often finds it difficult to communicate, following his ongoing battle to recover from a serious case of Covid-19.
The former lobbyist fell victim to the contagious disease in early 2020, and was left critically ill and hospitalised for more than a year.
Speaking on Tuesday's offering of Good Morning Britain, Kate explained to her guests: "In a sense Derek – because of Covid – has a version of this where he can understand, sometimes do odd words, but can't express himself.
"It's very interesting what you say Anita about the loneliness of that because you've lost that relationship and that ability for others to see your partner."
Derek returned home from hospital in April 2021 but still requires care and assistance, as he struggles to return to full health following first contracting the viral disease.
Kate - who won a National Television Award for her documentary 'Finding Derek' - explained last year how her husband of 16-years manages to speak on very rare occasions.
Speaking to Kate on his final episode hosting Life Stories, Piers Morgan told his former ITV colleague: "When I rang you about this interview, without warning me, you said, 'Why don't you talk to Derek?'
"Derek replied when you said it was me, a very loud, clear 'Hello', and I said a few things to him and the end and he said, 'Thank you'. I was stunned."
A clearly moved Kate replied: "We all were. The carers that were there with me at the time burst into tears. I don't want to suggest you're a healer Piers but it was remarkable."
She added: "It's moments like that which make you realise he is there - and we have had others.
"He will turn to me and say, 'I love you'. He is there, he has fought so hard to stay in this world and I am not giving up on him, ever."
After winning her NTA in September 2021, Kate opened up about the reality of caring for a loved one and the state of social care in the United Kingdom.
"There is a lot of challenges that we're facing now. I am now experiencing being a carer, and the challenges that are there," the broadcaster told reporters after winning the gong for Best Documentary.
"We all know social care has been in the headlines for lots of reasons and for lots of reasons people need support with health and social care," she continued.
She added: "There are definitely more stories to tell. Let's hope that Derek's voice will be giving those stories. We know he's in there. We just have to get him out."
