Kate Garraway opens up about grief and moving forward after Derek Draper's death

Kate Garraway has opened up about her journey through grief, revealing she's taking "one step at a time" after the tragic loss of her husband Derek Draper to the long-term effects of Covid-19.

The stalwart Good Morning Britain presenter, aged 58, is gradually piecing her life back together following the devastating death of her husband on January 3, who had been left with major organ damage after contracting the virus over three years ago. The couple had shared 19 years of marriage.

At a recent charity event, Kate, a mother to two, confided: "I'm just at that early stage at the moment of coming out of grief. I'm just barely holding it together. I haven't actually been out that much. So it's nice to come out tonight. Derek passed away so recently, so it's just one step at a time."

Looking towards the future, Kate, who shares her life with children Darcey, 18, and Billy, 14, expressed her intent to embrace life fully. Speaking to Closer magazine, she remarked: "I really can't believe I'm hurtling towards 60. I'm very much celebrating life now. Whatever the age."

Besides her role on GMB and Smooth Radio, Kate is also gearing up to host a fresh series of Life Stories on ITV, reports the Mirror.

She teased: "I'm very excited. There are so many people I'd love to have on the show. But the current lineup is a secret so you will have to wait and see."

Earlier in May, reports from the Mirror highlighted how Kate had found solace in gardening as she coped with her loss.

Kate Middleton recently graced the Chelsea Flower Show with her parents before diving into her own horticultural project in London. In a heartfelt Instagram post in May, Kate shared: "I've just had the most amazing day in the garden. I thought I have got to tackle it, I loved doing the garden when Derek wasn't unwell because it felt like I was planting and doing stuff and when he could get outside he could come with me."

"But it has been a bit sad and the weather has been against us. But I thought I will tackle it today. It doesn't look like much has been done but what has been lovely is being here and having a look at things. Just stopping and being a bit still."

In addition to her gardening endeavours, Kate has faced the daunting task of managing the financial aftermath of her husband Derek's health battle. She sought professional advice in May as she confronted a staggering £716,000 tax demand stemming from Derek Draper's business affairs.

The beloved television presenter enlisted expert assistance to navigate through the financial turmoil following the shutdown of Derek's psychotherapy business, Astra Aspera Ltd, which left debts amounting to £184,096.96 and resulted in the hefty tax bill. A confidant of Kate confirmed these details to the Mirror, clarifying that the taxes were related to Derek's company, and assured that Kate is now diligently working towards resolving these issues.