Kate Garraway, the television presenter, has announced the death of her husband Derek Draper at the age of 56. Draper, a former political adviser and author, had been suffering from severe complications of Covid-19 since contracting the virus in March 2020.
In a statement posted on Instagram, Garraway said: "I'm sad to have to tell you all that my darling husband Derek has passed away." She explained that Draper had been critically ill following a cardiac arrest in early December, which, combined with the damage caused by Covid, led to further complications. He was surrounded by family in his final days.
Draper's battle with Covid was widely publicised. After being diagnosed, he was placed in a coma in April 2020 and did not wake until October. Despite being Covid-free by June, his body had suffered significant damage. He returned home in April 2021 after more than a year in hospital, but continued to require round-the-clock care. His condition worsened in July 2022, and he was readmitted to hospital in December.
Tributes have poured in, including from former Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair, who described Draper as a "good colleague and great friend". Another former Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, remembered him as "brilliant, creative and multitalented". Sir Elton John also expressed his condolences.
Draper was a Labour Party lobbyist for nearly a decade before leaving politics in 1998 after the "Lobbygate" scandal. He later retrained as a psychotherapist and founded the LabourList website. He and Garraway married in 2005 and had two children together. Garraway has taken an indefinite leave of absence from her TV and radio work.
