Kate Garraway is set to have her busiest year of work ever with a raft of projects on the horizon – but is finding her success ‘bittersweet’ as husband Derek Draper is still battling the effects of Coronavirus.
The Good Morning Britain star saw her life turn upside down back in 2020 when 54-year-old Derek was hospitalised with Covid-19 – with the illness leaving him in a coma and he is still recovering almost two years later.
For Kate, her professional life has taken off like never before amid her personal life difficulties – and she is said to be struggling to full enjoy the success she is currently experiencing.
At the start of the year, the 54-year-old mum-of-two was awarded an MBE by the Queen for her services to broadcasting, journalism and charity – while her career has hit a new stride as she was hired to replace Piers Morgan on his Life Stories series and won a National Television Award for her documentary Finding Derek which explored her husband’s health battled, with a follow up documentary also in the works.
A source told new! magazine: “This is all of Kate’s dreams coming true, this is what she hoped would come from her doing I’m A Celebrity in 2019, but the pandemic happened and Derek then obviously got so ill.
“Winning the NTA, taking over from Piers on Life Stories, it’s the most bittersweet thing because Derek is still not well.
“She is so strong, having to juggle caring for Derek and work. It’s very difficult because the kids are still young and having to deal with their dad being how he is, it’s very tough.”
The source went on to hint Kate is under pressure as she balances work, parenting 15-year-old daughter Darcey and 12-year-old son Billy on top of caring for Derek.
They said: “Kate is the sole breadwinner for the house now, and that comes with pressures. But she can’t believe she’s in the position she’s in work-wise, it’s just so sad Derek’s not well enough to fully see it because he is her biggest supporter.”
Earlier this month, Kate opened up about becoming the target of cruel online trolls who questioned the Queen’s decision to gift her an MBE.
Speaking to Susanna Reid on Good Morning Britain, she said that some people online had questioned why she had been given it for "just looking after Derek".
Discussing her MBE, she confessed she did feel “awkward” about it, adding: "I don't know why, I feel incredibly honoured.”
She explained at the time: "They had sent a letter saying would you accept and I said, 'yes'," Kate explained. "I didn't tell anybody, I didn't even tell my parents because I didn't want to tempt fate.
"On New Year's Eve, it didn't feel real until people started saying congratulations.”
Kate then admitted that she "saw some people say 'Why has she been given it?'", pointing out that it "is not for looking after Derek".
Susanna defended her co-star, saying: "It's absolutely well deserved! Don't diminish how important that work has been in the pandemic."
