‘We’ve got him back!’: Kate Garraway’s husband Derek Draper sobs as he wakes up from coma in new documentary

Kate Garraway’s husband Derek Draper broke down in tears as he awoke from his coma for the first time.

Derek, 53, remains in hospital after being admitted with coronavirus symptoms in March last year when he was put into an induced coma. He awoke to a minimal state of consciousness in July.

In a teaser clip ahead of tonight’s ITV documentary, Finding Derek, the former political adviser sobbed as he’s reunited with his wife over FaceTime.

‘We’ve got him back!’ Kate announces. ‘He’s back!’

‘We’ve been waiting a long time to speak to you,’ she continues as Derek is overcome with emotion and cries from his hospital bed.

‘I’m so proud of you, I’m so proud of you,’ Kate enthused. ‘You are just so brilliant and every day we’re getting closer to coming home, being with the kids, you’re brilliant. Well done!’

Finding Derek details their family’s experience during his illness and sees Kate speaking to people suffering long Covid, NHS staff and other experts.

One scene sees her recall being told by Derek’s doctors that he was the most seriously ill person they had seen who remained alive, while another devastating moment sees him tell her that he can’t go on.

Kate says she decided to feature footage of Derek in his hospital bed in her new documentary because he would want his story to be told.

‘Derek has devoted his life to mental health and good mental health,’ she said.

‘He’s a psychotherapist and a psychologist. So I feel like, that he would want his journey to be told.’

Kate also clarified that she has no plans to quit Good Morning Britain to look after Derek once he returns home, after fearing she would have to become his primary carer.

‘You can’t get rid of me that easily (Ben) Shephard,’ she told her co-host on today’s programme. ‘I’m not going anywhere.’

Kate Garraway Finding Derek airs on Tuesday at 9pm on ITV.

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