Kate Garraway has thanked viewers for the "incredible" love and support she has received as she returned to presenting Good Morning Britain, less than a week after the funeral of her husband Derek Draper.
Welcome back @kategarraway ❤️ We're so happy to have you back pic.twitter.com/qUlmiiREMh
— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) February 8, 2024
The TV presenter returned to host the ITV breakfast show following an emotional appearance on the programme on Monday when she discussed how her children have been handling the loss of their father.
Garraway said on Thursday that it was lovely but "odd" to be back at the desk.
"The make-up girls had me in tears this morning just by saying hello," Garraway said at the beginning of the programme.
"Thank you to all of you at home as well, I know I mentioned it on Monday, but you have been incredible."
Morning! Lovely to have Kate back with us- thank you for all the messages we've had already. You’ll be pleased to know I’m already tidying up after her so things are getting back to normal 😜 pic.twitter.com/qg5yib1KBL
— Ben Shephard (@benshephard) February 8, 2024
Co-host Ben Shephard joked he would give Garraway a bit of "leeway" before saying she did her husband proud with the "extraordinary funeral".
"You really did Derek proud, it was an extraordinary thing," he said.
Garraway, who admitted to feeling "wobbly", said: "I definitely wanted to make it about Derek not about me.
"It was really lovely as well to feel so much love from everybody here."
Draper's funeral, held last Friday, was attended by figures including former British prime minister Tony Blair, musician Elton John and British Labour leader Keir Starmer.
The service was held at the Church of St Mary the Virgin in Primrose Hill, north-west London where the TV star and the former political lobbyist-turned-psychologist married in September 2005.
Draper fell seriously ill during the early part of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020 and spent 13 months in hospital before he was discharged.
He died on 3 January aged 56 after suffering long-lasting symptoms from coronavirus.
Source: Press Association
