Kate Garraway reveals ‘massive day’ for husband Derek after feeling ‘trapped in no-man’s land’

Good Morning Britain host Kate Garraway provided an update on her husband Derek Draper's condition, revealing that he has been well enough to attend an event.

The ITV presenter, aged 56, shared with viewers that her husband was invited to former Labour minister Lord Peter Mandelson's wedding over the weekend.

On today's Good Morning Britain, she expressed her gratitude to Peter and his husband and long-time partner, Reinaldo, for being accommodating to Derek's needs, saying that it 'meant the world to him.'

Peter said: "It was a lovely, lovely wedding and we are very happy.

"And Kate, very pleased, if you don't mind me saying so, that Derek was there.

"Because Derek worked for me as my parliamentary aide back in 1992 when I was first elected."


Kate responded: "You were very kind because it was a massive day for you and it took a lot of organisation to get him there.

Peter commented: "Well, Reinaldo was insistent we had him there, and it was great to have him there at the ceremony and our little party later."

Derek nearly lost his life in a lengthy battle with Covid-19, which left him wheelchair-bound and requiring round-the-clock care.

Kate previously shared that Derek became trapped in a "no man's land" as he encountered difficulties passing through border control at London Heathrow Airport due to his disabilities.

During a conversation with her co-host, Richard Madeley, and Manchester Arena bomb survivor Martin Hibbert, they discussed the recent installation of a passport scanner at the airport, specifically designed to accommodate wheelchairs.


Kate spoke about her husband's challenging experience, saying: "Disability encompasses a wide range of challenges, and Derek doesn't possess the cognitive skills or upper-body strength that you have.

"We came to the realisation that we couldn't get him into the country. He proceeded into the machine, and the door locked, requiring assistance from a disabled individual. Due to border regulations, you're not allowed to free it yourself."

Derek encountered difficulties pushing the door and was unable to exit the scanner, as Kate further added: "He found himself stuck in 'no man's land' literally between two borders, for approximately an hour.

"This occurred despite conscious efforts being made to improve accessibility."

During the pandemic, Derek became critically ill with Covid and had to be placed in a medically induced coma.

He battled multiple health issues, including brain inflammation, kidney failure, liver and pancreas damage, repeated heart failures, significant weight loss, and infections that left him with holes in his lungs.

After a challenging six months in the hospital, Derek was finally allowed to go home, where Kate is now his primary caregiver.

Kate previously shared a terrifying experience of her own, as she revealed that she was rushed to the hospital with severe chest pains due to the stress of caring for her disabled husband.

She recounted waking up in the middle of the night unable to move her arm, along with vomiting and excruciating chest pains.

Despite her condition, she still managed to make her way to the GMB studios to present her show.

After undergoing urgent tests, including an ECG, she was informed that proteins indicating a heart attack had been detected in her blood.

The cardiologist warned that while she 'wasn't yet having a heart attack,' it could be related to stress-induced angina.

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