Kate Garraway describes the mental toll of caring for husband Derek Draper ahead of National Television Awards

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The Good Morning Britain presenter took to Instagram on World Mental Health day

Kate Garraway has taken to social media to describe the mental toll of caring for her husband Derek Draper, as she gears up for the National Television Awards.

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Her documentary, ‘Caring for Derek,’ has been nominated for an NTA for Authored Documentary, alongside Tom Parker, Katie Price, Paddy and Christine McGuinness and Julia Bradbury.

She enjoyed success at the 2021 NTA’s when she won an award for the documentary ‘Finding Derek’, about her family’s traumatic experience throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.

Derek Draper, who was a political advisor, fell seriously ill with Covid-19 in March 2020, the same month the UK entered its first lockdown.

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Kate Garraway pictured with her husband Derek Draper in 2019. (Credit: James Gourley/ITV/Shutterstock)Kate Garraway pictured with her husband Derek Draper in 2019. (Credit: James Gourley/ITV/Shutterstock)
Kate Garraway pictured with her husband Derek Draper in 2019. (Credit: James Gourley/ITV/Shutterstock) | James Gourley/ITV/Shutterstock

He has suffered lasting damage to his organs and now requires 24 hour care from Garraway and a dedicated team of health workers.

Mr. Draper, who spent 13 months in hospital now also struggles with speech and is sometimes bed-bound for days at a time.

"The reason we made the documentary was to highlight carers, professional carers, and carers who are doing it for love and the tough challenges that that involves," said Kate Garraway.

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"As much as you don’t begrudge doing it, it’s very hard. You saw me frustrated, depressed, emotional, and I’ve been all of those and more in recent weeks and months.

"That’s the thing about caring; you want it to carry on because you want the person surviving and with you. But there isn’t an end point, and it doesn’t get any easier.”

Derek and Kate got married in 2005, and have two children, Darcy and Billy.

The 27th National Television Awards will be hosted by Joel Dommett at the O2 Arena in London.

The event will be televised on ITV and ITV Hub and will begin at 8pm on Thursday, October 13 2022.

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