Kate Garraway, the familiar face of British morning television, has spent the past several years navigating a path few could imagine—one marked by profound loss, financial strain, and, more recently, public speculation about her personal life. As she prepares for her upcoming appearance on the much-anticipated Celebrity Traitors, Garraway has opened up about her journey since the death of her husband, Derek Draper, and addressed the swirling rumors about her romantic future.
Garraway's story, as reported by Daily Mail and Mirror, is one of resilience in the face of relentless adversity. In March 2020, her husband Derek Draper contracted Covid-19. The illness would trigger a four-year battle that saw Garraway shift from successful broadcaster to full-time carer and sole provider for their family. Draper, a former political adviser, succumbed to the lingering effects of Covid in January 2024, leaving Garraway and their two children, Darcey and Billy, to pick up the pieces.
Almost two years after Draper's passing, Garraway, now 58, finds herself at a crossroads. In a candid conversation with The Sun, she reflected on whether she might ever consider finding love again. "I don’t feel as if I can. It’s a weird one, because I wouldn’t like to think I’d spend the rest of my life without love, but also it feels preposterous at the moment to think of being with anyone else," she admitted. The sentiment, echoed in her interviews, reveals a woman still deeply connected to the life she built with Draper—a life that revolved around the comforts of home and the simple pleasures of shared routines. "What Derek and I loved was our home life and just pottering around, and we had 21 years of that, so mentally I am still in that zone," she said.
Yet, Garraway acknowledges that the future is unwritten. "I do realise that, when the time is right, I am not going to meet someone in my living room, so I’m going to have to think about the future at some point," she shared with a hint of wistfulness. For now, however, the idea of dating feels distant. She told Mirror that she found the online speculation about her love life "hilarious," especially after encountering an AI-generated image purporting to show her with a new boyfriend—an image that was nothing more than a blend of her friend Ben Shephard and another colleague. "I don't have Facebook but all my friends tell me there's loads of stuff about me being in a relationship and having a boyfriend on there," she laughed. "On the internet too, one website said, 'We have everything you need to know about Kate's new man'. It was an AI mix of Ben Shephard's face with a man who works with me. I thought it was hilarious."
The speculation, while amusing, also prompted some introspection. "This has made me think about it and honestly, I don't feel as if I can," Garraway said. She admitted that the world of dating seems a foreign landscape now, especially compared to her younger years. "I kind of wish I was in my 20s for lots of reasons, particularly when I see my bottom in the mirror! But it feels as though socialising was easier then. I can’t imagine ever going on a dating app. I’m so private." Instead, Garraway is taking tentative steps back into the world of socializing, saying, "I’m going to start going for drinks with friends and try to have a social life that isn’t based on being a mummy. I just don’t feel mentally ready for more than that."
While the emotional toll of losing her partner has been immense, Garraway has also faced significant financial challenges. According to Daily Mail, her media company, Praespero 100 Ltd, reported losses of £288,122 in 2024, following losses of £165,011 in 2023 and a modest surplus of £36,888 in 2022. The company, which Garraway established in 2021 to manage her media earnings, has seen its financial position worsen in recent years. As the sole director, she has had to make difficult decisions, including selling her second home to help pay off mounting debts.
The roots of her financial woes stretch back to her husband's illness and the collapse of his psychotherapy firm, Astra Aspera Ltd. The business went bust owing hundreds of thousands of pounds to creditors, including a substantial sum to HMRC. The most recent liquidator’s report, as noted by Daily Mail, shows that Garraway has been actively trying to repay some of the debts. Notably, HMRC has reduced its tax demand from £716,822 to £288,054—a significant decrease, though the reasons for this reduction remain unclear. Other creditor claims total £196,548, including a £50,000 bank loan. The liquidator, Greenfield Recovery, has received £21,000 during the most recent reporting period to assist with debt recovery, but it appears unlikely that all creditors will be paid in full.
Financial hardship is not a new experience for Garraway. In 2012, two other companies she and Draper jointly controlled—Fulfill Media Ltd and Countrymouse Media Ltd—were wound up by creditors, leaving debts of £922,807 and £189,121, respectively. These debts included significant amounts owed to HMRC and other creditors, as well as overdrawn directors’ loan accounts. Despite these setbacks, Garraway and Draper were personally owed £24,000 each by one of the businesses, highlighting the complexity and personal stakes involved in their financial affairs.
Through it all, Garraway has remained steadfast in her commitment to her children. After Draper's death, she focused on raising Darcey and Billy, ensuring stability and support during a period of immense upheaval. She also continued her work as a broadcaster, becoming the family’s primary earner while navigating grief and public scrutiny.
Now, as she prepares to appear on Celebrity Traitors—set to air in October 2025—Garraway is poised to reintroduce herself to the public in a new light. The show, a star-studded spin-off of the hit game show, will see household names like Stephen Fry, Tom Daley, Clare Balding, and Tameka Empson join Garraway in a battle of wits and deception. While the competition promises entertainment, it also marks a symbolic step forward for Garraway—a chance to reclaim a sense of normalcy and perhaps even joy after years defined by hardship.
For now, though, Garraway’s focus remains on healing, rebuilding, and cherishing the memories of the life she shared with Draper. Whether or not romance features in her future, she approaches the question with honesty and humor, reminding us all that grief, love, and hope are rarely straightforward. And as she faces the next chapter, she does so with the same resilience that has carried her through the darkest of days.
