Kate Garraway: what host said about husband in Matt Hancock GMB interview - latest Derek Draper update

Television presenter and journalist Kate Garraway has teafully asked former health secretary Matt Hancock to explain his decision to appear on ITV reality show I’m a Celebrity . . . Get Me Out of Here!, publish his book and break coronavirus rules.

Hancock took part in the 2022 series of the show, a move which angered many members of the public as they were still upset with Hancock for his breaking of the Covid-19 rules during the pandemic. In June 2021, photos of then health secretaty Hancock kissing his then aide Gina Coladangelo inside the Department of Health were published by a national newspaper. The images revealed that Hancock had disobeyed the social distancing guidelines which were in place at the time, and he resigned as a result. Hancock has since admitted he received £320,000 for his television appearance on I’m a Celebrity, but reportedly donated £10,000 of his earnings to charity. In December 2022, he also published a book called Pandemic Diaries: The inside story of Britain’s battle against Covid.

During the interview, which aired on this morning’s Good Morning Britian (Tuesday 31 January), Garraway also asked Hancock about his choice to break the Covid rules at a time when she and her children not allowed to visit husband Derek Draper in the hospital. Garraway’s spouse of almost two decades is believed to be the worst affected patient living with coronavirus.

So, just what did Kate Garraway say to Matt Hancock, who Garraway and her husband Derek Draper and who are the couple’s children? Here’s everything you need to know.

What did Kate Garraway say to Matt Hancock?

Garraway said: “You know when you talk about the moment that you fell in love and was seen, well caught, falling in love and whether it was stylised and legal. And you say that’s irrelevant what it was in the sense because you morally feel that you did wrong.

“I suppose the problem is that because you were Health Secretary and because of that time, I couldn’t visit Derek in hospital, he couldn’t see his kids. Thousands of others couldn’t go and see the people they love for various reasons because they were following the guidelines.

“You have to understand that it was all very muddled at that point for us out here in the world. It gives the impression that you still don’t get why they’re cross. You see what I mean, you still don’t see why people are upset because that amount of money is vast to everybody.

“And I am sure there are many other people that went into the jungle when you did that, maybe got more, maybe got less, I don’t know. But they are holding you to more account because you are probably only there because you were Health Secretary at the time making these huge decisions.

“You made the decision to go in at a time before you’d answer the inquiry, at a time when people were still feeling  very raw. Can you explain now because I’m not sure people are yet comfortable with why you did it.”

In response, Hancock said that he understood the people’s feelings,.

Speaking about his book, he added: “The reason that I think why I think it’s important that I wrote the book in particular with the inquiry coming later is that I have to be completely open about what I did and why I took the decision so we could learn as much as possible. I feel really strongly about that.”

He added: “One of the things, if I can contribute anything now to the future of making sure that this doesn’t happen as badly again, is making sure we really, really learn the lessons about how to handle these things because there will be another one and I feel very strongly about that because I feel like it is my duty - because we’re all human, we all make mistakes.”

Who are Kate Garraway and Derek Draper?

Kate Garraway is a broadcaster and journalist, and is currently one of the hosts of ITV morning news programme Good Morning Britain (GMB). She is also a radio presenter and hosts Mid Mornings with Kate Garraway on Smooth Radio.

Draper is a former political advisor to the Labour party, and is one of the founders of the right-wing internal Labour group Progress.

He was involved in two very public political scandals: the 1998 Lobbygate scandal, in which Draper - then an advisor to Peter Mandelson - was caught on tape offering to sell access to government ministers, and the 2009 LabourList scandal, in which it was revealed that Draper was involved in plans with Gordon Brown’s advisory team to post false rumours about senior Conservative MPs.

He has also worked as a psychotherapist and is the author of two books, Blair’s 100 Days and Life Support. Garraway and Draper, both aged 55, got married in London in 2005.

Who are Kate Garraway and Derek Draper’s children?

Kate Garraway and Derek Draper have two children; a daughter called Darcey, who was born on 10 March 2006 and a son called William, known as ‘Billy’, who was born on 28 July 28 2009. This means that Darcey is now aged 16 and Billy is now aged 13. Darcey made her red carpet debut by joining her mum at the 2022 National Television Awards.

Is Derek Draper in hospital?

Derek Draper is not currently in hospital, but has already spent many months in hospital. He was first hospitalised for 13 months between March 2020 and April 2021, after contracting the Covid-19 virus. He then returned to the family home in North London to be with his wife and children, although he has continued to need round-the-clock care from family and medical professionals as he has been unable to fully communicate, has issues with mobility, and has struggled with major health problems.

Draper had to return to hospital in October 2022 after contracting sepsis, a life-threatening condition which is the body’s extreme response to an infection.

Garraway told The Sun at the time : "Derek is back in hospital after developing sepsis that again threatened his life and we are again fighting to get him home. But I remain constantly inspired by those around him - not just for their expertise but for their loving care. On his birthday they wrote in a card, ‘We celebrate every day your braveness and strength to keep going through the pain, struggles and setbacks.”

She added, ‘But on your birthday, we want to celebrate you , Derek, the man, not the trauma, but you as a person.”

Speaking on ITV’s Lorraine in December, as reported by the Evening Standard, Garraway said that there “is no end point” to his care. She told her fellow ITV presenter that “he thing is when it’s a long battle like with Derek, there’s no end point and it can be exhausting for the people around me too. I know sometimes people say, ‘oh she’s talking about that again’, but what I’ve learnt is you only really know what it feels like unless you’re in it. And now I get contacted by thousands and thousands of people who make me feel less alone.”

She added: “I mean you know, it’s a long onslaught. I can see he has better days; he has worse days. He is thankfully at home now. It’s been a long battle to get him back home again.”