Kate Garraway reveals final message husband Derek Draper wanted to get across with new ITV documentary
Kate Garraway has shared the poignant message her late husband wanted their upcoming third and final documentary to reflect.
Former lobbyist-turned-psychologist and author Derek Draper died on January 5 aged 56 after suffering a heart attack just before Christmas almost four years after he first fell seriously ill with Covid.
Mr Draper contracted Covid in the early stages of the pandemic back in March 2020, resulting in a year-long stint in hospital and life-altering damage caused by the disease which required 24-hour care.
Garraway, who was married to the former Labour spin doctor for 18 years and shared children, Darcey, 18, and Billy, 14, supported him throughout and was there until the very end, holding his hand.
Following his death, the broadcaster said she considered not continuing with the ITV doc, titled Kate Garraway: Derek's Story, but decided to carry on as otherwise she would be “abandoning all of those thousands of people who felt as though they had a voice with him”.
Now, the film which documents the final year of his life, is set to air on ITV on March 26
The Good Morning Britain host has recalled a conversation she had with Draper and what he hoped to achieve with a follow-up to the award-winning Finding Derek and Caring for Derek.
“One day, we were sitting together while I was caring for him and he suddenly, from nowhere, asked, ‘Are we making another documentary?’. I said, ‘Well I hadn’t really planned to. Were you thinking that you would like to?’. And he said firmly ‘yes’ .
“I said, ‘Well, if we do, I think we should work on it together and it should be your story, told in your voice.’ Derek got very emotional at the idea, because his words and speech were so limited and there were so many things he wanted to say about the struggle we were all having as a family and he wanted to speak up about it,” she continued.
“I asked Derek, ‘What would be your main message?’ And he said, ‘Never give up fighting for what you believe in and for the people you love.’
“So we set out to make Derek‘s story together to highlight how he and our family are just one of millions who, every day, have to deal with the challenges of severe disability or life-threatening illness. And we wanted to celebrate the incredible work of carers, both professional and those who do it out of love.
“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. It’salso a tribute to all of those who fight on to make every second of life count, whatever is thrown at them,” she concluded.
Kate Garraway: Derek’s Story airs on March 26 at 9pm on ITV and ITVX.