Kate Garraway says first Christmas without Derek Draper will be 'difficult' but has plan

Kate Garraway has spoken about her plans for her first Christmas without husband Derek, who died in January, and said it will be "difficult" for her and the kids

Kate Garraway has opened up about facing her first Christmas with her children Darcey and Billy without her husband Derek Draper. The TV presenter said it was a time for "making new memories" following Derek's death earlier this year.

The Good Morning Britain presenter, who is 57 years old, was honoured with a National TV Award in September for her documentary 'Derek's Story', which chronicled the last year of his life.

In January, she shared the sad news that Derek had passed away at 56 after a long struggle with the effects of Covid. With Christmas approaching, Kate is focusing on making the festive season special for her kids, Darcey, 18, and Billy, 15.

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She said: "This Christmas will be difficult, as all the firsts are, but I've said to the kids, 'Let's do what feels right, do some new things and make new memories.' Maybe we'll go to midnight mass on Christmas Eve? You've got to try and let things evolve into new memories, and I'm going to be led by them.

"It will be our first Christmas without Derek, but to be honest, the last four or five Christmases have been challenging, although we've also had the joy of having Derek there with us... I hope I won't be blubbing all day, but I'm sure there will be emotional moments.

"However, I want it to be fun and happy for Darcey and Billy because it's been a tough few years for them. Maybe they'll think, 'At least Dad's out of pain'."

Kate also reminisces about past Christmases, including their tradition of driving to Derek's parents' house on Christmas Eve with the car decked out in festive lights, a memory she cherishes and plans to talk about during this reflective time.

Derek passed away at the beginning of January with TV presenter Kate by his side, holding his hand "throughout the last long hours" in hospital. He had contracted COVID-19 in March 2020, which led to multiple organ failure, and he spent 13 months in hospital as a result, reports the Mirror.

This meant he missed significant family milestones. "I was so sad that Derek wasn't there to see that Darcey did better in her A levels than she thought she was going to," Kate shared.

"I thought, 'You should be here – you'd be so proud.' But I have to believe that he knows, and that he's looking down and seeing all of it. My hopes for the kids' future are that they can be happy, find something they feel passionate about – and occasionally put their laundry into the laundry bin!"

As for her own future, alongside her television work, Kate has also made a return to Smooth Radio, ensuring a busy schedule ahead. Speaking to WomanandHome, she revealed: "I have an amazing year of work planned for 2025, with exciting new projects, which is a blessing. I don't think you're over grieving in a year. In fact, a lot of people say the second year can be even harder, so I'm under no illusions it will be plain sailing.

"But 2025 will be about forging a new life with Derek's love at the core, and with a sense of future for our family. I'm more excited about work than I've ever been. I've got two projects that are going to be incredible. "When you've felt like everything has fallen apart, you appreciate and treasure the things that are still there even more. For me, 2025 is about gratitude, hope and excitement."