Kate Garraway was overwhelmed with emotion as she opened up about her latest documentary following her husband Derek Draper’s death.
The presenter, 56, will explore the final year of her husband’s life, as he struggled with the long-lasting symptoms of coronavirus and required daily care, in a new film titled Kate Garraway: Derek’s Story.
And with the documentary set to air next Tuesday, Kate discussed how it feels to have completed the project, as she confessed it had been ‘pretty emotional’ working on it.
Speaking with co-host Ed Balls on Thursday’s episode of Good Morning Britain, Kate admitted she ‘can’t quite believe’ that Derek, who died in January, isn’t with her to ‘watch his story’.
‘It’s been pretty emotional actually. Makes you want to jump in the screen and give him a hug.
Kate Garraway, 56, was overcome with emotion during Good Morning Britain on Thursday as she admitted she ‘wishes Derek Draper was here to watch his story’ ahead of the release of the heartbreaking documentary
The presenter will explore the final year of her husband’s life, as he struggled with the long-lasting symptoms of coronavirus and required daily care, in a new film titled Kate Garraway: Derek’s Story
‘You can’t quite believe that he’s not with us to watch his story. But, hopefully, it will be very useful for others who that are going through the same thing. That’s the dream and the wish.’
After viewers watched a trailer for the programme earlier this week, Ed added: ‘It was very moving to hear him speak in [that] clip we played a couple of days ago. Because at the same time, there’s a fragility but also it is absolutely the Derek I’ve known for 30 years.’
Kate agreed as she continued: ‘You’re right, there’s fragility, vulnerability, obviously deep ill-health and damage, but yeah he was his own man until the end.’
The mother-of-two also explained that it was Derek’s decision to make the final documentary in the hope that it will bring a lot of help to people who are also suffering from long-term illness.
She explained: ‘It was his idea to make this and his story, so hopefully as I say, when it’s aired next Tuesday, it will bring a lot of help to a lot of people who are in the situation Derek’s in with long-term illness and those around them that care for them and the professional carers as well.’
Ed added: ‘I can’t imagine how hard it is to do this but I think it’s really important you’ve done it.’
Kate responded: ‘I hope so, I hope people see it that way. Thank you Ed.’
Kate previously chronicled the impact of caring for her husband, who died aged 56 in January, in two other ITV documentaries titled Finding Derek and Caring For Derek.
Speaking with co-host Ed Balls on Thursday’s episode of Good Morning Britain, Kate admitted she ‘can’t quite believe’ that Derek, who died in January, isn’t with her to ‘watch his story’ (pictured together in 2019)
‘You can’t quite believe that he’s not with us to watch his story. But, hopefully, it will be very useful for others who that are going through the same thing. That’s the dream and the wish’
Ed Balls added: ‘It was very moving to hear him speak in [that] clip we played a couple of days ago. Because at the same time, there’s a fragility but also it is absolutely the Derek I’ve known for 30 years’
Kate said she remembers “vividly” that the idea for the third documentary came from Derek, who said he wanted the main message to be “never give up fighting for what you believe in and for the people you love”
When asked why he wanted to take part in this film, Derek previously said: ‘I want to be heard.’
Kate said she remembers “vividly” that the idea for the third documentary came from Derek, who said he wanted the main message to be “never give up fighting for what you believe in and for the people you love”.
‘I hadn’t planned to make another one,’ Kate said.
‘We had to find a way of allowing Derek’s voice to be heard and while having to finish it without him has been so hard, I am delighted that the film is a tribute to Derek and his incredible spirit,’ Kate said.
‘It’s also a tribute to all of those who fight on to make every second of life count, whatever is thrown at them.’