Kate Garraway will be honouring the memory of her late husband, Derek Draper, with a new documentary for ITV.
Kate and Derek had begun filming in Mat 2023 with hopes of giving an insight into Derek’s personal struggles with illness and the challenges millions of people in the UK face living with serious illness and disability and those who care for them.
“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,” Kate told The Telegraph. “And in January 2024, I wondered if it was right that it should ever come to air.”
She continued, “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.
“Also, I remembered so vividly that the idea of making this third documentary at all came from Derek himself.”
The new ITV film follows the two previous award-winning films also made by Flicker Productions: Finding Derek and Caring for Derek.
The forthcoming documentary will take a look at Derek’s life before Covid and his relationship with wife and kids Darcey, 17, and Billy, 14. It also takes a look at his political career as a prominent New Labour figure.
“I am delighted that the film is a tribute to Derek, his incredible spirit and a tribute to all of those who fight on to make every second of life count, whatever is thrown at them,” Kate said.