Kate Garraway has appealed for help from Haringey Council after receiving “unsettling post making demands” of her late husband Derek Draper “which obviously he can’t respond to”.
The Good Morning Britain star announced in January this year that her husband, former political lobbyist Draper, had died at the age of 56 after a lengthy battle with the long-term effects of Covid.
The final year of his life was documented in an ITV documentary titled Kate Garraway: Derek’s Story, which followed on from two other programmes about Draper’s battle with Covid and her struggles navigating the care system.
@haringeycouncil -please help – have been trying for ten days sold to speak to someone about my husband passing away – following unsettling post making demands which obviously he can’t respond to. I just cannot get through. Again today nearly 50 mins wait & before I could ….
— Kate Garraway (@kategarraway) April 16, 2024
Three months after his death, broadcaster Garraway tagged Haringey London Borough Council in a plea on X, formerly Twitter.
“@haringeycouncil please help – have been trying for ten days sold to speak to someone about my husband passing away – following unsettling post making demands which obviously he can’t respond to,” the 56-year-old wrote.
“I just cannot get through.
“Again today nearly 50 mins wait & before I could …. the man put me straight back to the beginning – another 20 mins and then it timed out as shuts at 5pm.
“Is there a beareavement service or SOMETHING!!!!.”
Garraway did not clarify what the post was referencing or what “demands” were being made.
A representative for Haringey Council has been contacted for comment.
It comes after the third documentary saw the TV star reveal that the £16,000 monthly cost of her late husband’s care was more than her salary from ITV and caused her to rack up huge debts.
She later added that she does not “regret or begrudge” the debts.
Garraway said she wants her late husband’s legacy to be fighting for change in a care system, which feels like it is “there to catch you out” when it should be there to “catch you when you fall”.