Christmas HEARTACHE

Smiling through the pain, Kate Garraway faces her first festive season without her late husband

- SARAH ROBERTSON

Kate Garraway has had an incredibly tough year. In January, she announced that her husband, Derek Draper, had sadly passed away following complications from a heart attack – four years after contracting COVID-19.

She bravely returned to work on Good Morning Britain less than a week after his funeral, saying, ‘Life has to start.’ But in July, the star admitted she was ‘barely holding it together’ as she understandably struggled with her grief.

Now, as she faces her first Christmas without Derek, Kate, who is mum to Darcey, 18, and Billy, 15, tells Woman how she’s gearing up for the festive period, admitting, ‘Derek was Mr Christmas – he was amazing and loved it so much. I’m still trying to work out the details but we will get there.’

Here, Kate, 57, opens up about her plans for Christmas Day and the family traditions she intends to continue to keep Derek’s memory alive.

A big family get-together