GMB star Kate Garraway has emotionally admitted feeling “lots of regrets” following her husband Derek Draper’s death.
The presenter, 56, returned to Good Morning Britain on Monday, just days after laying her husband Derek to rest.
Kate opened up about Derek’s death and his long battle with Covid-19 and its after effects to hosts Richard Madeley and Susanna Reid.
Kate Garraway on GMB today
Discussing carers across the country and caring for Derek herself, she said: “I think for people watching, they will know two things that are in a caring position – how unbelievably hard it is but what an honour it is too. And how much I wish I was caring today because it’s you know, it’s an incredible thing to be that line of defence against the world and what happens to us all in life.
I know I didn’t get it all right and I have lots of regrets of things I should have done more of.
“To be able to be that person there for somebody, it’s the ultimate honour and privilege, isn’t it? I know I didn’t get it all right and I have lots of regrets of things I should have done more of and wished I had spent less time fretting about.
“But it is a huge honour and what you do will be something that builds your life forever, it’s a gift but also you get so much for it as well.”
In another part of the interview, Kate opened up about her incredible children – Darcey, 17, and Billy, 14.
She revealed her daughter’s final words to their dad Derek before he died.
“They had time with him on their own individually as well as all of us together,” Kate shared.
As Derek fount for his life, Darcey told him: “Dad, if you can’t do this we’ll be okay. You release yourself if you need to go. Don’t worry about us, I thought that was extraordinarily brave.
“Don’t worry about Mum. We’ll be fine because you live on through us.”
Meanwhile, Kate added: “They didn’t want to pressure him to keep going. I don’t think he did feel that, I think he kept going because he wanted to be here.”
Read more: Kate Garraway shares son Billy’s heartbreaking words to her moments after Derek died
Kate also explained that Darcey begged her to allow her to be a pallbearer at Derek’s funeral. Darcey was seen helping to carry her dad’s coffin at his funeral last Friday.
The star said: “Darcey came into the room and said, ‘please will you let me carry the coffin?’ I thought crikey, that’s a practical challenge, it’s a heavy thing. She said, ‘I want to do it’ and basically insisted on doing it. I thought that was a beautiful thing.”
GMB airs weekdays from 6am on ITV1 and ITVX.
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