Kate Garraway celebrates major family milestone ahead of new Derek Draper documentary

‘Good Morning Britain’ anchor shared sweet moment with fans

Kate Garraway has marked a significant family milestone two months after the passing of her husband, Derek Draper.

Following years of health issues from long Covid, former political lobbyist Draper died in January, aged 56.

Garraway, 56, has since been sharing her family’s journey with grief and life without Draper on social media.

Over the weekend, the Good Morning Britain anchor shared that her eldest daughter with Draper, Darcey, celebrated her 18th birthday with a party at home. The space was decked out with balloons, table settings, and an array of family photos.

“So yesterday our little baby Darcey got officially and legally big – 18!!!” Garraway wrote in a caption of a clip showing off the decorating efforts, before crediting friend Myleene Klass for her help with organising the event.

Garraway continued: “She had said she didn’t want a celebration as it was too soon after her dad passing, but maybe a small family lunch at home.

“I knew her dad would want the day to be marked and special though so I sent up a bat signal to @myleeneklass who rallied the most amazing gang of #warriorwomen & #warriormen.”

Kate Garraway and her children celebrating daughter Darcey’s birthday (Instagram - Kate Garraway)

The video shows how Darcey’s celebration came together, including footage of the birthday girl being presented with a large, pink cake alongside her brother Billy, 14.

Garraway concluded her post by thanking the various event vendors that helped the party come together.

It was recently announced that Garraway will host a final documentary about Draper, tracking the last months of his life.

Titled Kate Garraway: Derek’s Story, the film will focus on his final year living with long-lasting symptoms from contracting coronavirus in 2020, and will also highlight the cost of caring for a loved one in the UK.

Before his death, the former lobbyist said he wanted the public to “hear” his story. When asked why, Draper replied: “I want to be heard.”

Kate Garraway, with her husband Derek Draper and her parents Gordon and Marilyn Garraway. (Andrew Matthews/PA) (PA Archive)

Garraway said: “Obviously, when we started making this documentary early last year, we had no idea the events that would unfold that ultimately took Derek from us. And in January 2024, I wondered if it was right that it should ever come to air.

“But I didn’t want to let those who have given us so much support over the last four years down, and the carers paid and unpaid who, in their thousands of letters to me, feel Derek’s story has given them a voice.”

She also noted that, following the release of two previous films Finding Derek (2021) and Caring for Derek (2022), Draper had wanted to produce another to delve into his story further.

“I remembered so vividly that the idea of making this third documentary at all came from Derek himself,” she said.

Kate Garraway: Derek’s Story will air on ITV1 and ITVX later in March. An exact release date has not yet been announced.