Kate Garraway has spoken out for the first time after her husband Derek Draper took a "very serious" turn for the worse in hospital.
The Good Morning Britain presenter was forced to pull out the show this week to be by Derek's bedside and is doing "everything she can" for him. Derek, 54, was readmitted to hospital two months ago, writes The Mirror.
Former Labour political aide Derek contracted coronavirus in March 2020 and was hospitalised and put into an induced coma. He suffered with a number of health complications despite beating the virus, which left him with clots in his lungs, holes in his heart and made him diabetic, he returned home for a short while but he was readmitted to hospital.
Taking to social media on Thursday, Kate sent congratulations to her GMB co-star Dr Amir Khan as he shared a photo of himself being offered an honorary doctorate in health from University of Bradford.
Posting a photo in a graduation robe and mortarboard, Dr Amir wrote: "Okay so this is exciting, I’ve been awarded an honorary doctorate in health from University of Bradford for services to health education and the work I’ve done with the students!"
Kate retweeted his post and wrote: "Amazing and well deserved x". The presenter's followers took to the comment section to send their well wishes.
One wrote: "Morning missed you on tv this morning hope all is well", while Dr Amir wrote: "Thank you so much x". A source close to the family told the Mirror Derek, 54, is "seriously unwell", but the family know he is in the best hands.
They said: "Derek is back in hospital in a very serious condition but the family knows he is in the best hands.
"Kate is doing everything she can for her husband. He comes first and so work will have to take a back seat this week."
While an ITV spokesperson added: "Kate is taking some time off work over the next few days, and is hoping to be back to her normal presenting duties as soon as possible."
Kate said earlier this month Derek was back in hospital after he had a "bit of a downturn".
She said at the time: "He's back in hospital I'm afraid so a bit of a downturn but fingers crossed.
"In terms of COVID, I mean when Derek got COVID there was no vaccine there was no treatment there was a lot of challenges, now we have those things so on that level yes it's not gone away."
Ever since Derek contracted Covid, Kate has valiantly tried to balance her work and family commitments - including looking after their two children Darcey, 16, and Billy, 12.
Speaking to Piers Morgan last year, she spoke frankly about how the virus had "devastated" her husband and that he has been affected "from the top of his head to the tip of his toe".
"It does feel as though I walked through a fiery furnace or fell down a rabbit hole," she told Piers on Life Stories. "The world went dark and still looking for the light at the end of the tunnel, really."
She added: "It's devastated him. From the top of his head to the tip of his toe. His digestive system, his liver, his kidneys, his heart, his nervous system. We're pretty sure that the inflammation did pass through the brain.
"He still can't communicate, he still has issues with mobility. Fundamentally, he's in a terrible state."
"It does feel as though I walked through a fiery furnace or fell down a rabbit hole," she told Piers on Life Stories. "The world went dark and still looking for the light at the end of the tunnel, really."
She added: "It's devastated him. From the top of his head to the tip of his toe. His digestive system, his liver, his kidneys, his heart, his nervous system. We're pretty sure that the inflammation did pass through the brain.
"He still can't communicate, he still has issues with mobility. Fundamentally, he's in a terrible state."
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