Kate Garraway has moved her wedding and engagement rings to her right hand following reports she has found new love with broadcaster Liam Halligan. The Good Morning Britain presenter switched the rings during a challenge on Celebrity Traitors last year and now wears them on her other hand daily in memory of her late husband Derek Draper.
Derek passed away in January 2024 after suffering a cardiac arrest, having previously battled severe organ damage from Covid-19. The couple share two children, Darcey, 20, and Billie, 16. A spokesperson confirmed: “Kate had to remove her rings during a challenge she undertook for Celebrity Traitors and since then wears them on her right hand every day in memory of Derek.”
Kate is said to have enjoyed dates with Liam, 56, two years after Derek’s death. The pair, who have known each other for over 20 years, have reportedly grown close, with Kate attending a performance by Liam’s band, The Hooligans. A source described the budding romance as “complicated” but said Kate feels optimistic: “She never thought she would be able to move on. But now she can see something. She is being calm but she does hope that she might be skipping down the road holding his hand at some point in the near future.”
Liam, a former economics editor at GB News and current Sunday Telegraph columnist, is separated from journalist Lucy Ward and has three children. He told The Sun: “I’ve known Kate for years and we’ve recently become close. We laugh a lot and really enjoy each other’s company. It’s very early days. This may or may not turn into something long-term but there is a definite spark between us and we’re both excited to see what happens.”
Insiders say Kate’s friends are “thrilled” by the news, especially as they had been encouraging her to date. Last December, Kate told Jamie Laing’s Good Company podcast she felt ready for romance, joking she was looking for “any single dads”. A source added: “Kate is a journalist and a very intelligent woman. They’ve just kind of clicked. Both are really chatty, they just talk and talk. Anyone who knows Kate will hope that her and Liam work out. She is still grieving, and will always love Derek so much, but she has found some happiness now and long may that continue.”
