Kate Garraway has been forced to defend herself against heartbreaking backlash after she announced a new documentary about her late husband Derek Draper.
Derek died on January 3 at the age of 56 following his long battle with Covid-19 and its after effects. Derek Draper’s funeral was held on February 2 at the Church of St Mary The Virgin in Primrose Hill. It was the same location where Derek and Kate got married.
This week, Kate confirmed she was making a new show to document Derek’s final year before he passed away. However, nasty trolls were quick to air their thoughts – and Kate soon clapped back at them.
Kate Garraway’s new documentary about late husband
Kate’s new show, Kate Garraway: Derek’s Story, will be broadcast on ITV starting Tuesday, March 26. It will follow the final year of Derek’s life.
Kate has previously shot two documentaries about Derek, Finding Derek and Caring for Derek, which won a slew of awards.
The new show started filming back in May 2023 and “confronts head on the reality of Derek’s struggles”, a press release revealed. The film will also give “an unflinching view of the effect on all those around while also capturing real moments of love and joy as they spend time together as a family”.
Kate Garraway receives abuse from trolls
On Thursday (March 14) Kate Garraway appeared on GMB. However, the brave presenter revealed that she had received a ton of online abuse after confirming the news of her new documentary.
Speaking about the documentary on the ITV show, Kate said: “I’ve had a few comments on Twitter saying: ‘For goodness sakes, what now?’
“And I knew that would happen because people don’t understand and haven’t been through the experience, maybe, that Derek and millions of others do across the country. So I hope people understand why.”
I get a huge amount of love so it’s fine to have a little bit of hate along the way.
She added: “It’s important not to walk away from something just because the person for whom made it very relevant to our family life isn’t there. It wouldn’t be right for Derek, it wouldn’t be right for all those within the system. So I hope people understand and that they find it very helpful. There are moments of joy in there too as there always were along the way.”
‘It’s fine to have a little bit of hate along the way’
Ed Balls responded: “It would be very upsetting for lots of our viewers to think that you take seriously at all a few nasty trolls saying negative things when there will be millions of people absolutely on your side and saying it’s absolutely the right thing to do. Ignore that hate.”
Kate replied: “Absolutely. I get a huge amount of love. So it’s fine to have a little bit of hate along the way. People have their views and they’re entitled to express them. I just knew some people would say that. But for the millions more it would help, and indeed Derek and the children, it felt the best thing to do.”
‘I wondered if it should ever come to air’
Announcing the documentary, Kate shared: “Obviously when we started making this documentary early last year, we had no idea the events that would unfold that ultimately took Derek from us.
“And in January 2024, I wondered if it was right that it should ever come to air.”
She then continued: “But I didn’t want to let those who have given us so much support over the last four years down, and the carers paid and unpaid who in their thousands of letters to me, feel Derek’s story has given them a voice.
“Also, I remembered so vividly that the idea of making this third documentary at all came from Derek himself.””
Kate added: “I am delighted that the film is a tribute to Derek, his incredible spirit and a tribute to all of those who fight on to make every second of life count, whatever is thrown at them.”
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