Kate Garraway has revealed that she has received negative backlash after being given an MBE.
The 54-year-old host was made MBE in the New Year’s Honours list after documenting husband Derek Draper’s Covid battle and has been recognised for her services to broadcasting, journalism and charity.
Appearing on Good Morning Britain today, she said that some people online had questioned why she had been given it for “just looking after Derek”.
She also went on to give an update on Derek, explaining that he was “phenomenally fatigued” and had been in and out of hospital.
Speaking to hosts Susanna Reid and Richard Bacon, Kate jokingly asked: “Why you were sitting down, why aren’t you bowing?”
The presenter went on to dub the accolade “strange”, saying that she felt “very awkward about it”.
(Image: ITV)
“I don’t know why, I feel incredibly honoured,” she said.
Revealing that Derek has “had a bit of time going in and out of hospital recently”, she said that her sister-in-law had ended up opening her MBE letter.
(Image: ITV)
“They had sent a letter saying would you accept and I said, ‘yes’,” Kate explained. “I didn’t tell anybody, I didn’t even tell my parents because I didn’t want to tempt fate
“On new year’s eve, it didn’t feel real until people started saying congratulations,” she added.
However, Kate admitted that she “saw some people say ‘Why has she been given it?'”, pointing out that it “is not for looking after Derek”.
Susanna retorted: “It’s absolutely well deserved! Don’t diminish how important that work has been in the pandemic.”
Kate went on to speak about visiting a pantomime with Derek in December, saying that Anton Du Beke had helped make that possible.
Quizzed on how Derek was doing, Kate said: “He’s doing alright. He is phenomenally fatigued – he’s going through a period where he’s very fatigued.
“After the pantomime he hasn’t been out of bed… it took everything out of him. We don’t quite know what the new year will bring.”
Kate’s documentary Finding Derek, won a National Television award for its honest approach in which the mum-of-two charts the family’s struggle to get Derek home.
The former political advisor, also 54, was diagnosed with Covid in 2020.
Derek was placed in an induced coma during treatment at an intensive care unit and remained in hospital until the end of last year.
Despite being in a “terrible state”, Kate said having her husband home had been the best gift she could have asked for.
A sequel to Kate’s documentary called Caring For Derek, will show the period following Derek’s return home as the much-loved presenter navigates the challenges of the social care system.
It is set to air in 2022.
In April Kate published a memoir titled The Power of Hope recalling the “raw and emotional story” and the effects the experience had had on her family.
(Image: Kate Garraway/Instagram)
Her husband’s battle with Covid has garnered much admiration and support, including from Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the Royal Family.
At a Prince’s Trust event in October 2021, Kate thanked Prince Charles after reportedly receiving a personal letter from an unidentified member of the Royal Family and the offer of help from a Royal physician.
*Good Morning Britain airs weekdays at 6am on ITV
Kate Garraway admits MBE sparked negative backlash as she says Derek is struggling
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