Kate Garraway steps out after husband Derek’s battle with coronavirus ‘becomes longest in the UK’

Kate Garraway was seen arriving at work on Tuesday morning as her husband Derek Draper’s six-month battle with coronavirus ‘became the longest in the UK’.

The TV and radio presenter, 53, kept her spirits high amid the ongoing ordeal as she flashed a smile before heading into Global radio studios for her Smooth show.

Kate was seen arriving at the studio on a motorbike and a driver removed a helmet from her head, before she walked into the building for her morning show.

The mother-of-two was dressed in a speckled black and green dress, which she wore with a black fringed jacket and a pair of suede ankle boots.

Kate arriving with a slouchy tan leather handbag slung over her shoulder and her building pass in her hand, while she covered her face with a mask.

She appeared to go make-up free and wore her blonde locks in a loose natural style.

On Monday it was reported that Kate’s husband Derek has reportedly become the longest surviving patient with coronavirus, after spending 184 days in and out of intensive care. 

The former lobbyist, 53, was first hospitalised with the disease on March 29, he was on a ventilator and put in an induced coma shortly thereafter before he was woken up in July, but progress is said to be ‘very slow.’

According to a report from The Sun on Monday, Derek is one of ‘only a handful’ of people to be in hospital for six months with coronavirus. 

A source speaking to the publication claimed: ‘Kate has been so brave and her strength is awe-inspiring. But the truth is that progress is very, very slow. 

‘Derek has now been hospitalised for six months which makes him one of only a handful of people who have been in hospital for this long.

‘It’s incredibly tough for Kate though because some days he shows signs of improvement, and then 24 hours later he has taken a worrying turn for the worse. It’s literally one step forward, two steps back.’ 

The source went on to claim that Kate is thankful Derek is ‘still here’ as it means she has hope he will pull through after so many have lose their loved ones. 

According to the publication, Fatima Bridle was the longest-surviving patient with COVID-19 before returning home in August, after 141 days in hospital at the time.  

Derek was hospitalised after suffering serious complications from Covid-19 and has remained in intensive care ever since, in a minimally conscious state from which no one knows if he will ever recover. 

Speaking to the Mail On Sunday’s YOU magazine about the family’s ordeal earlier this month, Kate revealed doctors had warned her Derek wouldn’t survive, and expressed her shock at seeing his appearance as his ‘worn-out and thin’ body struggled to fight the virus.

Derek, who she revealed has lost eight stone during the battle, is one of an estimated just five people in the world whose bodies have been damaged so much by Covid.

Kate recalled: ‘Doctors were saying, “He’s not going to make it.’Unable to breathe, he was put into a medical coma to give his lungs a rest. Before he went under, he called Kate and said, “I love you, you’ve saved my life.” 

For several weeks, the family’s only contact with Derek was through hospital staff, so when Kate first saw her husband, she found him unrecognisable.

Kate recalled: ‘When I finally got to FaceTime him, seeing him unconscious was a big shock.

‘He’s lost nearly eight stone in weight, a lot of it muscle throughout his body. He looked worn-out, thin and pale with dark circles under his eyes and there were lots of tubes.’    

In July Derek emerged from his deep coma and started showing some signs of consciousness, occasionally opening his eyes.

Only a few weeks ago, Kate was finally allowed to visit Derek in hospital. Coronavirus precautions mean the children and Derek’s parents haven’t been able to yet. 

Kate and Derek married in 2005, and share daughter Darcey, 14, and son Billy, 11.

Earlier this year, Kate took a break from work in order to look after their children in lockdown and be there for Derek.

The journalist made a welcome to present Good Morning Britain in July after being away for 14 weeks and has now announced she will be returning to her Smooth Radio show so Derek ‘can hear my voice as well as many of the songs we both love.’

The broadcaster also confirmed she would be heading back to the Global studios in London to record her show from 10am to 1pm every day, after her friend Myleene Klass filled in for her.

As she announced her return to the airwaves, Kate acknowledged the frightening circumstances she currently faces, but hopes work will provide a welcome distraction for both herself and her husband.

She said to The Sun: ‘I’m delighted to be returning to my morning show on Smooth and to my Global family who have been a big support to me. 

‘Things are still hugely challenging and a long way from being normal, but I’d like to think that this will give Derek yet another opportunity to hear my voice as well as many of the songs we both love.

‘My heartfelt thanks go to Myleene Klass who has been brilliantly caretaking the show for me and to all my regular listeners for their messages of support.’

Throughout all this, Kate has been holding the fort at home, trying to present a chipper front for the sake of the children.