Kate Garraway pays fresh tribute to late husband Derek Draper after emotional radio return

Kate Garraway has paid a fresh tribute to her late husband Derek Draper after an emotional return to her radio job. The presenter has already returned to screens following her loss as the co-host of Good Morning Britain.

However, a few weeks on from Derek's funeral, Kate has now also returned to her hosting duties on Smooth Radio. The broadcaster announced on January 5 that Derek, 56, had sadly passed away, almost four years after Covid changed his and his family's life forever.

The former Labour lobbyist-turned-psychotherapist became ill with the virus at the start of the pandemic in March 2020. He was taken to hospital where he was put in an induced coma, with Kate previously saying how Covid had "wreaked havoc" on her husband's body.

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Derek spent more than a year in hospital before returning home to his wife and their children in April 2021, needing around-the-clock care. Derek then fell seriously ill before Christmas after suffering a cardiac arrest. He died on January 3 aged 56 with Kate explaining in her statement that "the damage inflicted by Covid in March 2020, led to further complications."

Sitting down at the microphone almost seven weeks after her husband's death on Monday (February 20), Kate told Smooth FM listeners: "Hello everyone, I am so glad to be back at Smooth. It's just been brilliant to hear the great music again and to see everybody. And thank you for all your really lovely messages, It's so kind of you to think of me and also share all your thoughts.

"I know some of you have been sending me letters and messages about people that