Kate Garraway prepares to welcome Derek Draper home – with a hospital bed in the lounge and room for his wheelchair
KATE Garraway prepared to welcome husband Derek Draper home by adapting their house after coronavirus ravaged his body. The 53-year-old star explained that Derek, who was taken to hospital with Covid a year ago, will need to use a wheelchair because he has no muscle left. Kate has converted the ground floor of their London home for Derek’s […]
KATE Garraway prepared to welcome husband Derek Draper home by adapting their house after coronavirus ravaged his body.
The 53-year-old star explained that Derek, who was taken to hospital with Covid a year ago, will need to use a wheelchair because he has no muscle left.
Kate has converted the ground floor of their London home for Derek’s return.
The GMB host has made their home wheelchair accessible and has installed a hospital bed in the lounge which will be his new bedroom.
The presenter made the changes to the house last year in the hope that Derek would return home before the third lockdown.
However, Kate has been unable to visit Derek in hospital and his condition has not improved.
Viewers will get the chance to see the renovations taking place as her home is adapted for her husband’s return from hospital.
Kate was speaking ahead of her ITV documentary Finding Derek airing tomorrow night.
She told the Mirror: “He has changed. Derek is physically very affected.
“His legs are like sticks, he has no muscle left. In terms of his movement, he’s physically affected.”
Kate, who shares children Darcey, 15, and Billy, 11, with Derek added that his recovery has slipped back in recent months.
Kate said: “Things have regressed a little bit this year since January, but how much that is to do with the restrictions of not being able to visit, is unclear.
“It felt like we were moving forward at Christmas, now it feels like we’ve slipped back.”
Speaking on The One Show last week, Kate explained that his brain is “no longer his friend”.
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She said: “He is somebody who both in this time before I knew him, when he was in politics, and also since in all the work he has done in mental health, because that’s his thing now.
“His brain has always been his best friend and he’s lived on his wits and now suddenly his brain – as we all know controls his body – is no longer his friend and he’s fighting to get out.”
Kate began working on the documentary in August and had hoped she’d be reunited with her husband at home before it aired, but that has not been the case.
Kate Garraway: Finding Derek airs at 9pm on Tuesday on ITV