When Kate Garraway, television presenter for ITV plc walked onto the Good Morning Britain set on October 3, 2024, she didn’t shy away from the raw truth about her family’s loss. The broadcast came from the London Television Centre on South Bank, and the studio audience could feel the weight of her words.
Family loss and ongoing mourning
The grief she described traces back to April 1, 2024, when her husband Derek Draper, a former Labour Party adviser and co‑founder of the lobbying firm Draper & Dash, died at St Thomas' Hospital after an 1,087‑day battle with complications from COVID‑19.
Garraway explained that the first anniversary – April 1, 2025 – was "particularly brutal," a sentiment that still reverberates today. She revealed that the bedroom they shared in their Chiswick home remains exactly as it was, a visual reminder that grief isn’t something you get over; you learn to carry it.
Her 19‑year‑old daughter, Cherry Elizabeth Draper, is still struggling with panic attacks, anxiety and occasional meltdowns. "Cherry is still struggling. She's having panic attacks. She's having anxiety attacks. She's having meltdowns," Garraway said, her voice cracking.
Meanwhile, son George Henry Draper, 22, finished a Politics and International Relations degree at the University of Bristol in 2023 and now works as a junior policy adviser in the House of Commons. He will turn 23 on November 15, 2024 – a birthday Garraway admits will be tinged with bittersweet memories.
The emotional Good Morning Britain interview
During the 6 a.m.–9 a.m. slot on ITV1, which pulls in roughly 850,000 daily viewers according to BARB’s Q3 2024 data, Garraway delivered a line that has stuck with many: "It never gets easier. You just get better at surviving it." The admission felt like a lifeline for anyone watching who has faced a similar loss.
Co‑host Ben Shephard placed a supportive hand on her shoulder, a small gesture that underscored the human side of live television. Shephard, who has been a fixture on the show since 2014, stayed silent for a beat, letting the moment breathe.
Garraway also shared a routine that has become her new normal: looking at Derek’s photos every morning, speaking to him about the kids, and updating him on the household. "I look at Derek's photos every single morning. I talk to him. I update him on the kids. That's my normal now," she said, holding up a phone screen that displayed a snapshot from their 25th wedding anniversary at The Wolseley in Piccadilly.
Support from colleagues and mental‑health advocates
Beyond the studio, Garraway is a patron of Grief Encounter, a UK charity that provides support groups for those coping with loss. She is slated to receive the "Grief Champion Award" at the charity’s annual gala on October 28, 2024.
That event is marked up as an Grief Encounter Annual GalaGrosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, London, where she will join other advocates, survivors and clinicians.
Garraway also appeared on the "Griefcast" podcast with host Cariad Lloyd (Episode 147, recorded September 18, 2024 at the Rumpus Room Studios in Camden). In that conversation she broke down the dual‑process model of grief, a theory developed by researchers Margaret Stroebe and Henk Schut.
Her coping toolbox includes regular sessions with psychotherapist Dr. Julia Samuel, MBE, who runs a private practice at The Awareness Centre in Tulse Hill. Samuel authored the 2017 bestseller "Grief Works," a text Garraway references in interviews.
Why the conversation matters
In a media landscape that often sanitises loss, Garraway’s candidness shines a light on the messy, day‑to‑day reality of bereavement. The episode aired just weeks after the UK government announced a new mental‑health funding package, meaning her story could influence policy discussions about grief counseling in schools and workplaces.
Public health experts note that untreated grief can exacerbate depression, substance abuse and even physical illness. By putting a familiar face on the issue, Garraway may encourage more people to seek professional help, something her therapist Dr. Samuel has long advocated.
What’s next for Garraway and the family
Beyond the October 28 gala, the presenter has a busy schedule: a follow‑up interview on the "This Morning" programme, a series of talks for Grief Encounter’s regional groups, and a written column in The Sun that will run through early 2025.
She also hinted that she’s working on a documentary that will explore how families navigate the first year after a COVID‑related death, a project that could air on ITV later next year. For now, the focus remains on day‑to‑day coping – marking birthdays, Christmases and anniversaries while learning, as she put it, to "carry" the loss.
Key facts
- Kate Garraway discussed her family’s grief on Good Morning Britain on 3 Oct 2024.
- Husband Derek Draper died on 1 Apr 2024 after a 1,087‑day COVID‑19 battle.
- daughter Cherry Draper, 19, suffers panic and anxiety attacks.
- Son George Draper, 22, works as a junior policy adviser in the House of Commons.
- Garraway will receive the Grief Champion Award at the Grief Encounter Annual Gala on 28 Oct 2024.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is Kate Garraway coping with Derek Draper’s death?
Garraway says the pain never fades, but she’s learned to “survive” it. She looks at Derek’s photos each morning, talks to him about the children, and maintains his unchanged bedroom as a personal ritual.
What support is the family receiving?
Cherry works with a school counsellor, while Kate sees psychotherapist Dr. Julia Samuel. Both children also have access to Grief Encounter’s peer‑support groups.
When will the Grief Encounter gala take place?
The charity’s annual fundraising gala is scheduled for 28 October 2024 at the Grosvenor House Hotel on Park Lane, London.
What impact could Garraway’s interview have on public policy?
Her openness coincides with a new UK mental‑health funding package, potentially encouraging lawmakers to allocate more resources to bereavement services in schools and workplaces.
What are the upcoming milestones for the Draper family?
George’s 23rd birthday on 15 Nov 2024, Cherry’s graduation celebrations, and the family’s annual remembrance of Derek on 1 April each year.
