Kate Garraway made a heartbreaking confession over the backlash she received on her third documentary, Kate Garraway: Derek’s Story – with the NTA nomination being kept quiet.
Over the last couple of years, Garraway has allowed cameras to follow her family and given viewers an insight into Draper’s staggering health battles, and how she struggled to care for her husband of 19 years.
Garraway announced the news of his death on her Instagram account, sharing an image of the political lobbyist and penning: “I’m sad to have to tell you all that my darling husband Derek has passed away. As some of you may know he has been critically ill following a cardiac arrest in early December which, because of the damage inflicted by Covid in March 2020, led to further complications.
“Derek was surrounded by his family in his final days and I was by his side holding his hand throughout the last long hours and when he passed. I have so much more to say, and of course, I will do so in due course, but for now, I just want to thank all the medical teams who fought so hard to save him and to make his final moments as comfortable and dignified as possible.
“Sending so much love and thanks to all of you who have so generously given our family so much support. Rest gently and peacefully now Derek, my love, I was so lucky to have you in my life.”
The final documentary in the series followed the final years of Draper’s life, having been preceded by Finding Derek in 2021 and Caring for Derek the following year.
Derek’s Story was announced as one of the nominees in the authored documentary category at the upcoming National Television Awards last month, however, Garraway has felt unable to speak about the nomination due to the backlash she received.
During the end of a conversation with Martin Lewis on Thursday’s instalment of Good Morning Britain, presenter Ed Balls noted: “I’m just going to say, Kate Garraway for her fabulous documentary Derek’s Story is also nominated for an NTA.”
The 50-year-old went on to confess: “I haven’t posted I’ve been nominated yet because I got so much backlash from doing it, for people saying ‘stop going on about it’. But actually, I realise I’m letting people down, so I am going to go for it now.”
When the episode aired back in March 2024, she shared on Instagram: “A story he wanted to tell about what he had been through and to highlight what we have come to learn is a healthcare system full of incredible people, paid and unpaid, who are battling to make a broken system work.
“I have been brutally honest because it’s not fair to the millions who need me to speak up, to sugarcoat it. It also highlights others’ stories & challenges. Sadly my journey caring for Derek is at an end, I wish it wasn’t.” (sic)
When previously discussing Draper’s story earlier this year, Garraway became highly emotional and admitted how her husband felt like a “burden” in the years she was caring for him.
Speaking on the ITV breakfast show, she explained: “One of the biggest frustrations was that he felt like a total failure, he felt like an incredible burden on the carers, on the system, on us and it didn’t matter what we said, he felt that burden, and he wanted to be a contributor.
“Making this documentary was his way of saying ‘I’m gonna speak up for the people that have supported me, the family but also those around me and the people within the care system’.”
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She spoke about receiving online abuse for the decision to broadcast documentaries about her husband, including the latest following his death.
She explained: “I’ve had a few comments on Twitter saying, ‘For goodness sakes, what now?’ And I knew that would happen because people don’t understand and haven’t been through the experience, maybe, that Derek and millions of others do across the country, so I hope people understand why.
“It’s important not to walk away from something just because the person for whom made it very relevant to our family life isn’t there. It wouldn’t be right for Derek; it wouldn’t be right for all those within the system. So, I hope people understand and that they find it very helpful.”
