Good Morning Britain presenter Kate Garraway has described the 'awful' experience of being targeted by an AI deepfake during her period of mourning for husband Derek Draper. The 58-year-old broadcaster's husband died in 2024 after a long battle with Covid-related complications.
During Thursday's edition of the ITV breakfast programme, Garraway addressed rumours that she had embarked on a new relationship, insisting they were 'completely untrue'. She revealed that artificial intelligence had been used to create a fake photograph of her with an unidentified man, sparking a year of speculation.
The presenter explained that the deepfake appeared around the anniversary of Draper's death, a 'raw time' for her and her children. She noted that fake Facebook accounts and AI bot sites pretending to be news outlets had spread false stories, including claims that her son was 'destroying the relationship' due to selfishness.
Garraway expressed concern about the impact on her children, saying: 'His teachers could be reading this, trusting it as a news source.' Co-host Richard Madeley described the incident as a 'real intrusion into her grief', adding that the fake pictures showed Garraway with a man who 'doesn't exist'.
Garraway initially hesitated to speak out but acknowledged that 'calling it out' might be the right approach. She thanked viewers for their support and urged caution about unverified online content.
