Derek Draper, the husband of TV presenter Kate Garraway, has died aged 56 after his long battle with COVID.
It was reported that the Good Morning Britain presenter, 56, was preparing his children for a heartbreaking Christmas before Christmas after Derek suffered a heart attack.
After the incident, Kate Garraway canceled her work commitments to hold a 24-hour vigil with her husband.
But who is Kate Garraway's husband Derek Draper and what did he do for a living?
TV presenter Kate Garraway's husband has died aged 56 after a tough battle with long Covid-19 (pictured 2019).
But who was Derek Draper? Web takes a look into the life of the former political adviser and psychologist (pictured: Mr Draper in 1998)
Who was Kate Garraway's late husband Derek Draper?
Derek Draper was born on August 15, 1967 in Chorley, Lancashire.
He attended Runshaw College in Leyland before continuing his education at the University of Manchester.
During his political career as a lobbyist and policy advisor, he also worked as a researcher for Labor Minister Peter Mandelson.
Mr Draper became a director of lobbying firm GPC Market Access in 1996 and co-founded the New Labor organization Progress with Liam Byrne, who later became an MP.
Derek was originally from Chorley, Lancashire. He later pursued a career in politics as a political consultant and lobbyist
Derek later pursued a career in psychotherapy for three years and trained as a psychotherapist in California.
Towards the end of the 1990s he also became involved in the world of print journalism, working as political editor of the Modern Review.
He was also a brief columnist for the Daily Express and later a presenter on Talk Radio UK.
He founded his own blog, LabourList, in 2009, but later resigned from his post as editor-in-chief following a leaked email scandal.
Leaked correspondence between Derek and Damian McBride – Gordon Brown's special adviser – showed McBride suggesting Derek use the platform to smear conservative politicians and their associates, according to The Sun.
On 23 August 2019, Derek decided to withdraw his Labor membership after 25 years.
Kate's husband was also an accomplished author, penning books such as Life Support and Blair's 100 Days.
How did Kate Garraway and Derek Draper meet?
Kate and Derek were introduced to each other by GMTV political editor Gloria De Piero in 2004 (pictured: Kate and Derek at the 2007 National Television Awards)
The couple tied the knot in Camden, London in 2005. They planned a second wedding 15 years after their marriage, but this was unfortunately put on hold due to Mr Draper's health problems
Derek supported his wife when she received an MBE for her services to journalism in June last year (pictured in June with Kate's parents Gordon and Marilyn after his wife received her MBE).
The former editor and Kate Garraway first met in 2004 after being introduced by Gloria De Piero, GMTV's then political editor.
Garraway was previously married to Meridian boss Ian Rumsey, but divorced him two years before meeting Derek.
The couple tied the knot a year later in Camden, London, and were due to renew their wedding vows 15 years after their marriage.
Unfortunately, their wedding plans were put on hold due to Mr. Draper's tough battle with COVID-19.
In an interview with Fabulous in 2020, Kate said: “We had planned the wedding for the end of the summer but I don't think we'll book anything now because we don't really know what we can do.”
Who are Derek Draper's children?
The couple have two children together, Darcey, 14, and William, 10 (family pictured 2019)
The Good Morning Britain presenter shared that she feels she is not “equipped” to raise her children into their teens without her husband (Family Pictured 2018).
The couple have two children together, Darcey and William.
The couple welcomed their eldest child, Darcey, into the world on March 10, 2006.
Over three years later, Kate gave birth to her son William, affectionately known as Billy, on July 28, 2009.
Darcey and William were 14 and 10 years old when Derek first contracted COVID-19.
In an interview with The Times in September 2023, Kate shared that she was worried about her children during her husband's health struggles.
Looking back on her life, Kate said she was not “equipped” to raise her teenage children without her husband.
“My instinct is to always keep everything good, keep everything nice, but he was always happy with stand-up rowing.”
“He said it was all about setting boundaries, so I always had a feeling he would be great as a teenager.”
Derek came home from hospital after 13 months but never fully recovered (pictured with his family in the garden)
“So I feel like, 'Derek, I'm not ready for this without you of all people.' And it makes me miss the old Derek so much.”
Kate appeared on Heart Breakfast alongside Amanda Holden and Jamie Theakston that same month and discussed her husband's health issues and the impact on the family as a whole.
“We still don't know how much better or worse Derek can get.” So every time he's rushed to the hospital, we're still in the adrenaline phase: “Is this the moment he could be taken away from us ?”
“But there are also so many spikes in progress that no one gives up hope that there won't be progress, so it's about navigating that rollercoaster ride. 'Sorry, that wasn't particularly clear.'