Three firms owned by Kate Garraway and her late husband Derek Draper went bust owing more than £2million before his death, can reveal.
The trail of debt is thought to be in addition to the £800,000 that Kate says she still owes for Derek’s care during his four year battle against Covid complications.
Companies House records show that the couple had faced financial problems with their companies, dating back to years before former political lobbyist Derek fell ill.
It follows fears that Good Morning Britain host Kate who once earned a reported £544,000 a year may now have to sell her £4million north London home.
Derek’s company Astra Aspera Ltd which he set up in 2021 went into liquidation in March 2022, owing £716,822 to HMRC and £196,548 to four other creditors.
Kate Garraway has emotionally revealed her late husband Derek Draper felt like a ‘complete failure’ after being left bed-bound by his battle with Covid
The trail of debt is thought to be in addition to the £800,000 that Kate says she still owes for Derek’s care during his four year battle against Covid complications
As the Good Morning Britain presenter, 56, spoke about the looming debt, she admitted she’s currently in ‘survival mode’, following Derek’s death
Kate became a director of the company in 2021, and shared overall control of it with her husband.
But the latest report by liquidators says it is unlikely that any of the money totalling £913,371 will be paid back by Astra Aspera which translates from Latin as ‘through suffering to the stars’.
The report states: ‘HMRC has submitted a preferential claim in the liquidation of £716,822 and the claims are under review.’
But it adds that there are ‘insufficient funds’ to repay debts owed to the taxman or claims from other creditors, including a £50,000 Virgin Bank loan and an accountants’ bill of £8,266.80.
Astra Aspera was solvent in 2019 prior to the pandemic, but accounts published in 2021 showed there was concern over the impact of the lockdown.
Derek fell ill and was left predominantly bed-bound in March 2020 as Covid 19 swept across the world causing businesses to shut down and the economy to slow down drastically.
The accounts published in 2021 signed by Kate said: ‘This outbreak is likely to cause significant disruption to the company’s income and continuing activities but the director has taken measures to ensure that the company remains solvent and able to trade by cutting costs to a level which can be supported by anticipated revenue.’
can reveal that the financial woes of Astra Aspera came eight years after two companies owned by Kate and Derek were dissolved with reported unpaid debts totalling more than £1 million.
Fulfill Media Ltd which was set up jointly by the couple in 2006 had liquidators appointed in 2014 and was dissolved in May 2014 owing £917,807 and with no assets to pay its debts.
The company’s debts included £88,486 owed to HMRC, £90,882 to trade creditors, £462,808 in ‘third party loans’, £235,074 to an inter-company creditor and £45,557 in director’s loans.
The political lobbyist died in January aged 56 following a long tragic battle with Covid-19
Former political spin doctor Derek also had other debts from his time studying an MA in clinical psychology from 2001 to 2004 at the Wright Institute in Berkeley, California
Countrymouse Media Ltd was set up by the couple in 2005 and had liquidators appointed in 2012 before being dissolved in December 2014, owing £149,344.
The company’s debts included £98,944 owed to the taxman and a total of £48,000 leant to the company by Kate and Derek, meaning they were owed £24,000 each.
Kate, 56, reveals her perilous financial state in the ITV documentary Derek’s Story which is due to be screened tonight.
She states on the programme which was filmed when he was still alive that his care was costing £16,000 a month.
In an emotional admission of the couple’s dire finances, she says: ‘Derek’s care costs more than my salary from ITV and that is before you pay for a mortgage, before you pay any household bills, before you pay for anything for the kids, so we are at a crunch point.
‘I am in debt. I can’t earn enough money to cover my debt because I am managing Derek’s care and I can’t even use the money I do have to support Derek’s recovery because it’s going on the basics all the time.’
Companies House records reveal Kate still has her own personal media firm Praespero 100 Ltd in 2021. It has filed one set of accounts which reveal it had £36,888 in reserves up to 30 November 2022.
Former political spin doctor Derek also had other debts from his time studying an MA in clinical psychology from 2001 to 2004 at the Wright Institute in Berkeley, California.
Derek who died in January this year aged 56 had implied on his personal website that he’d studied at the world famous Berkeley campus at the University of California until he was outed
He was being chased by California courts for not paying £1,633 in traffic fines and risked being arrested if he ever entered the country again.
Derek who died in January this year aged 56 had implied on his personal website that he’d studied at the world famous Berkeley campus at the University of California until he was outed by The Guardian.
The ex-New Labour adviser – close friends of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown – moved to the US after the 1998 ‘lobbygate’ scandal where he was caught boasting his lobbying firm could sell access to ministers.
In an interview this week with The Times, Kate admitted the huge debt from Derek’s costly aftercare after catching Covid-19 in March 2020.
Kate said: ‘Derek’s needs were clearly so great, yet he didn’t warrant funded care — so you think, ‘If he isn’t getting it, then who is?’
‘To be fair to them, no one’s contacted me since he’s passed away to ask for that. They may well still do, but they haven’t as yet.
‘The bigger picture of the further appeals I haven’t addressed yet, because I’m still in survival mode. It’s supposed to be a system that’s meant to catch you if you fall. But actually, it feels like it’s trying to catch you out.’
One source, speaking in January when it was revealed Kate may have to sell her home, said: ‘It is so sad for Kate. Not only has she had to watch her beloved husband suffer for almost four years but her financial worries have never been far away from her thoughts.
‘It has cost hundreds of thousands of pounds to look after Derek and do everything she could to get him better but it’s left her struggling.
‘The house is about all she has left financially and she is now facing up to the fact it might have to be sold.
‘It’s where she and Derek were so happy and also where her two children grew up – but bills are bills and they have to be paid. It’s dreadful for Kate.’
The Good Morning Britain host can be seen sitting on his bed as she asked: ‘You’ve written Covid changed everything. Do you mean for you?,’ as Drake replied: ‘Yes’
Kate Garraway: Derek’s Story, will air on ITV , chronicling the former political lobbyist’s final year of life before his death in January aged 56
Kate Garraway emotionally revealed today that Derek felt like a ‘complete failure’ after being incapacitated by his Covid battle.
In a moving appearance on Good Morning Britain, the tearful presenter admitted that she ‘won’t give up’ her cause to shine a light on the underfunded care system, following Derek’s death.
Kate told Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley that Derek requested they film his ITV documentary as he ‘wanted his voice to be heard’.
She said that he felt like a ‘failure and a burden’ on his loved ones due to the extent of is care, having been left incontinent, unable to walk and barely able to speak.
Kate said: ‘It started filming for Derek wanting his voice to be heard. The way you show love he couldn’t do.
‘He felt disempowered to show to love, he couldn’t communicate. We were having to relearn this dynamic. The love is still there but you have to grow together and that is why we needed that support.’
‘He left like a complete failure, a burden on us, on the carers. This documentary was his way of helping, of speaking up for others and the people who cared for him.’
Fighting back tears, Kate added: ‘I’m sad because I can’t walk away from something that I have campaigned for. I’ve had over 8,000 letters from people telling me not to give up.’
Kate went onto reveal she felt ‘ashamed’ of the huge debts she’s accrued to fund Derek’s care, adding: ‘It’s unaffordable from well paid TV presenters like me, let alone normal people.
‘It was costing £26,000 a month for his basic needs. That wasn’t the carers getting that, they don’t get paid that money.’
‘I am ashamed at the fact that I am in debt because I have an incredible job that I love.’
In the documentary, Kate admitted she didn’t ‘feel loved’ by her husband Derek as she opened up about their relationship.
In scenes from the upcoming documentary, Kate was asked is she ‘accepts you’ll have to care for him forever?’
She responded: ‘That bit yes I have accepted that completely. I think that’s our role. But how that translates into the relationship is a work in progress.’