‘The make-up girls had me in tears this morning just by saying hello’
Kate Garraway admitted she was feeling “wobbly” as she made her full-time return to Good Morning Britain following the death of her husband Derek Draper.
Garraway was joined by co-presenter and friend Ben Shepherd as she hosted the ITV breakfast show for the first time since Draper’s passing and funeral.
The much-loved presenter admitted to being “in tears” as soon as she got to the studio and reunited with the crew on the show.
You can watch her return to presenting duties below.
After being welcomed back by Shepherd, Garraway said: “The make-up girls had me in tears this morning just by saying hello. Thank you to all of you at home as well, I know I mentioned it on Monday but you have been incredible.”
Her co-host joked that he would give Garraway some “leeway” on her return, before praising her for her strength in recent weeks.
Referencing the funeral held last week, Shepherd said: “You really did Derek proud, it was an extraordinary thing.”
Garraway admitted that she was feeling “wobbly,” adding: “I definitely wanted to make it about Derek not about me. It was really lovely as well to feel so much love from everybody here.”
She joked that she was “excited for a blow dry” and is “looking forward to coming into the world and connecting with everyone again.”
“Thank you for having me back but have a little patience, I might be a bit rusty,” she added.
The host also thanked viewers for their messages of love and support in recent weeks, saying they had “made her weep.”
Following her return on Thursday, her co-host voiced their delight at having their colleague back with them in the studio.
Garraway had appeared on GMB on Monday from home, and explained why she was returning to work.
She said: “A new life starts now. I don’t quite know how it’s going to be, but grief isn’t containable is it? Some people say, ‘Why [are] you going back to work?’
“Well, everybody does have to, don’t they? Life has to start any minute now. We have to pick ourselves up and go on. That’s what Derek would want me to do. Thank you to everyone who made it possible.”
Draper passed away last month after a lengthy battle with health complications caused by Covid.
