[ad_1]
KATE Garraway announced on January 5 that her husband and father of her two children had sadly passed away
Derek Draper lost his battle with illness at the age of 56, and his final days will be featured in a documentary that captured him speaking on camera.
Derek Draper and Kate Garraway were married for 19 years[/caption]
Who was Kate Garraway’s husband Derek Draper?
Derek Draper was born on August 15, 1967, in Chorley, Lancashire.
He was educated at Runshaw College in Leyland before going to the University of Manchester.
I’m sad to have to tell you all that my darling husband Derek has passed away. He was surrounded by his family in his final days and I was by his side holding his hand.
Kate Garraway
Derek was a political aide to former Labour cabinet minister Peter Mandelson and was at the centre of the scandal known as “Lobbygate” in 1998.
Following this, he re-trained as a psychotherapist and spent three years in California obtaining his degree.
Read More on Derek Draper
In the late 90s, he worked as the Political Editor of the Modern Review, was briefly a columnist for the Daily Express, and presented on Talk Radio.
In 2009, Derek became the founder and editor of the blog LabourList.
However, he stepped down as editor after another scandal over leaked emails, which involved messages sent to him by Gordon Brown’s special adviser, Damian McBride.
The emails proposed using the blog to smear senior Conservative MPs and their spouses.
Most read in celebrity
After 35 years, Derek decided to revoke his membership with the Labour Party on August 23, 2019.
During his career, he was also a published author and had written books such as Blair’s 100 Days and Life Support.
What was Derek Draper’s cause of death?
In March 2020, Derek was rushed to hospital due to a Covid infection, which sparked years of heartbreaking health battles.
After originally being taken to hospital, he spent 214 days on a ventilator, nearly four months in an induced coma and lost eight stone, as well as his ability to speak properly.
After he moved back home in April 2021, Derek required round the clock care and was rushed back to hospital with “life-threatening” sepsis in August the following year.
Following this, Derek was struck down with more ill-health.
In December 2023, his wife Kate Garraway was by her husband’s side once more after he suffered a huge heart attack.
Sadly, on January 5, 2024, Derek passed away following his ongoing health battle.
Kate revealed she held her husband’s hand as he passed away.
“Rest gently and peacefully now Derek, my love, I was so lucky to have you in my life.”
Kate Garraway
In a moving Instagram post she wrote: “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.”
Derek’s funeral was held on February 2, 2024, which saw his family and friends gather to pay their last respects.
When did Kate Garraway marry Derek Draper?
Kate Garraway married Derek in 2005, in Camden, London.
The pair met just a year before, after being introduced by GMTV’s then-political editor, Gloria De Piero.
Kate previously revealed how the happy couple were due to have a second wedding after 15 years of marriage, but sadly his battle with coronavirus called those plans to a halt.
Speaking to Fabulous, she said: “We’d planned the wedding for the end of summer, but I don’t suppose we’ll be booking anything now because we don’t really know what we can do.”
The TV star was previously married to former Meridian boss Ian Rumsey from 1998 to 2002.
How many children do Kate Garraway and Derek Draper have?
During their time together, Derek and Kate welcomed two children.
Their eldest is a daughter called Darcey, who was born on March 10, 2006.
They also have a son called William, affectionately known as Billy, who was born on July 28, 2009.
Their kids were 14-years-old and 10-years-old, respectively, when their father was first hospitalised after he first caught Covid.
During her husband’s health battle, Kate talked about her fears for her children.
Reflecting on her kids’ journey in September 2023, the GMB host told The Times: “They are completely different people. I’m effectively on my own and I don’t know where I am with them really.”
“Derek was always the line in the sand. I could say no a million times and they would always push their luck, but all Derek ever had to say was, ‘Enough!’.
“He had such forcefulness about him. He’d call family meetings and be all very psychotherapist-y.”
What church was Derek Draper’s funeral held at?
The presenter was joined by their children for the private service at the Church of St Mary The Virgin in Primrose Hill on February 2.
Poignantly Kate wore Derek’s watch during the funeral.
Former prime minister Tony Blair, under whom Derek worked for New Labour, gave a touching speech during the eulogies.
A choir performed the Angus Dei, the Gospel Alleluia, God in my head and closed off with Nunc Dimittis.
Sir Elton John also sang his hit Skyline Pigeon.
Who went to Derek Draper’s funeral?
Among the many recognisable faces in attendance were Kate’s ITV colleagues including Susanna Reid and Ben Shephard, along with Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer.
Also present were TV stars including Piers Morgan, Alex Beresford, Robert Rinder, Fiona Phillips and her husband Martin Frizell, and pop star Myleene Klass.
They were joined by political figures including Labour’s former spin doctor Alastair Campbell, former shadow chancellor Ed Balls, former first secretary of state Peter Mandelson, and shadow climate secretary Ed Miliband.
Kate Garraway: Derek’s Story airs on ITV1 on Tuesday at 9pm and will be available to stream on ITVX.
Derek Draper’s career highlights
Derek was a member of MP Peter Mandelson’s research team in Hartlepool.
He remained for four years before becoming the director of the lobbying firm GPC Market Access in 1996.
He also served as the political editor for Modern Review, a columnist for the Daily Express, and a presenter for Talk Radio UK.
He later decided to retrain as a psychotherapist at the Wright Institute in California, where he obtained an MA in Clinical Psychology.
The former lobbyist was granted membership in the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.
He regularly wrote columns on the subject for The Mail on Sunday, as well as for the magazines Psychologies and Therapy Today.
Derek authored the 1998 book Blair’s 100 Days,” and “Life Support: A Survival Guide for the Modern Soul.
He was also the driving force behind the independent news website LabourList.
[ad_2]
Source link
