This Morning presenters Dermot O'Leary and Alison Hammond held back tears as they announced Derek Draper's death live on Friday's show.
Following a phone-in segment with one of the show's resident GPs, the pair paused to read out their ITV colleague Kate Garraway's statement in the wake of her husband's death.
While reading out Garraway's words, viewers at home were shown a montage of photos of Draper and his family in happier times.
Concluding the tribute, Hammond said: "We just want to say all of us here at This Morning are sending our love to you Kate and of course Darcy and Billy" before a photo of Garraway and Draper following her time on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! paused on screen for a moment's silence.
After coming back from a commercial break, O'Leary looked visible teary-eyed while both he and Hammond continued on with the show.
The moment comes minutes after Garraway announced Draper's death an Instagram post on Friday.
The broadcaster said she was “by his side holding his hand throughout the last long hours”.
She began her post: "I'm sad to have to tell you all that my darling husband Derek has passed away.
"As some of you may know he has been critically ill following a cardiac arrest in early December which, because of the damage inflicted by Covid in March 2020, led to further complications.
"Derek was surrounded by his family in his final days and I was by his side holding his hand throughout the last long hours and when he passed.
"I have so much more to say, and of course I will do so in due course, but for now I just want to thank all the medical teams who fought so hard to save him and to make his final moments as comfortable and dignified as possible.
"Sending so much love and thanks to all of you who have so generously given our family so much support. Rest gently and peacefully now Derek, my love, I was so lucky to have you in my life."
Mr Draper was among the first in the UK to fall seriously ill with Covid-19 and was admitted to an intensive care unit as the country entered lockdown in March 2020.
He was placed in an induced coma and it was not until more than a year later, in April 2021, that he was able to return home to his family.
Some media reported that he had become the nation’s longest-suffering patient after spending 13 months in hospital.
Despite being free of the virus, Mr Draper had suffered long-lasting damage to his organs and required daily care at home.
In 2021, Good Morning Britain presenter Garraway won a prize at the National Television Awards for the documentary Finding Derek, about her family’s experience during the pandemic.
In early July 2022, Garraway disclosed he had been readmitted to hospital and later that month dropped out of presenting Good Morning Britain as his condition worsened.
The February following, the ITV series Kate Garraway: Caring for Derek aired on ITV, and documented Draper’s arrival home from the hospital while also following Garraway as she navigated the “myriad challenges of the social care system and its complexities.”
Months later, the couple were invited to be Sir Elton John’s guests of honour at his Farewell Yellow Brick Road concert at London’s O2 Arena in the April.
Draper was photographed by his wife’s side in June, despite being in and out of hospital, when she collected her MBE from the Prince of Wales in an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle.
In December, The Sun reported Draper had “suffered a massive heart attack” and said Garraway was keeping a 24/7 vigil by his bedside.
