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Kate Garraway updates GMB viewers on husband’s Covid battle

Derek Draper remains ill after contracting coronavirus in March.
Derek Draper remains ill after contracting coronavirus in March. Derek Draper remains ill after contracting coronavirus in March.

Kate Garraway has said there are “big ups and big downs” as she updated Good Morning Britain viewers on her husband’s battle with coronavirus.

Former lobbyist and political adviser Derek Draper, 53, was admitted to hospital in March and placed in an induced coma.

Garraway told her co-presenter Susanna Reid on Thursday: “I’m doing OK, thank you.

“Laura (Tobin) arranged for me to have a massage on Tuesday evening, so everyone is on board with the supporting Kate thing; I’m very, very lucky.

“Derek has had … I mean, the problem is I feel like I’m just boring everyone to death really because it ends up with the same thing, which is stable, but actually in between, when I’m not talking to you, there are big ups and big downs.

“Not big ups, small improvements really and worrying downs as well. But the last few days have been pretty stable so keeping everything crossed really.”

Garraway said that, due to tight hospital restrictions, the couple’s daughter, Darcey, and Draper’s parents have been unable to see him over the past few months.

Coronavirus – Tue Jul 28, 2020
Coronavirus – Tue Jul 28, 2020 Kate Garraway and her husband Derek Draper, who remains in hospital after contracting coronavirus earlier this year (Tim Ireland/PA)

“It’s tough, it’s very hard,” she said. “You completely understand why hospitals have to do it.

“They have to protect those inside who may be recovering from Covid or may be dealing with lots of other serious conditions but to do that they have to decrease footfall so Darcy has not been able to see Derek, his mum and dad have not been able to see Derek for a long, long time now.

“The fact that they live in Lancashire and that may go into Tier 2, will have an effect because that will be very tough for them to argue the case to be able to visit if they’re in one of those areas with high cases, so, yeah, it is difficult…”

The TV presenter returned to work on ITV’s Good Morning Britain in July, after three months away following Draper’s admission to hospital, where he remains.