Kate Garraway opens up about finding love again following loss of husband Derek Draper

Two years following the death of her husband, Kate Garraway has found love again.

Political lobbyist Derek Draper tragically died in January 2024, having battled serious health complications after being diagnosed with Coronavirus early on during the 2020 pandemic.

He was quickly hospitalised, suffering a heart attack and damage, while receiving around-the-clock care for long COVID.

The father-of-two, who shared daughter, Darcey, and son, William, with Garraway, died aged 56 at a north London hospital, four years after first falling ill.

Garraway, 59, took a short break from her job as an early-morning presenter before returning to work the following month.

It would take a further two years for the ITV star to go public with a new partner, which she did last week.

Draper died in January 2024 (ANDREW MATTHEWS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

She was rumoured to have started dating British economist Liam Halligan last month, after the pair were spotted in his hometown of Saffron Walden in Essex, enjoying a cosy night together at The Railway Arms pub.

Opening up on her blossoming romance for the first time during an appearance at the Chelsea Flower Show on Tuesday (19 May), Garraway described Halligan as a 'lovely' distraction from other personal woes.

As a reminder, the Good Morning Britain host also cares for her elderly parents - a job she described as 'consuming'.

"It is lovely. I suppose it is!" she went on to gush. "We basically haven’t really had time for a proper date!

"I don’t want to jinx it! I don’t want to say anything because I will jinx it! I will jinx it.

Kate discussed her new relationship at Chelsea Flower Show (Jeff Spicer/Getty Images)

"We all love an Irishman, don’t we?" Garraway joked.

The Oxfordshire local also told The Mirror of her parents' ill health: "My mum and dad have not been very well, so I’ve been really consumed by that. It’s been tricky, and I’ve just been doing that this weekend.

"My dad was supposed to be with me, actually [at Chelsea], but he’s not well enough."

She added: "I’m very lucky to have both of them and I know it’s normal [part of ageing]."

Garraway's comments came just days after Halligan first lifted the lid on the early days of their budding love affair.

He recently told the press that the pair had become 'good friends', both being 'single, against our wishes'.

Halligan [right] claimed he and Garraway have become 'good friends' (X/@LiamHalligan)

"It's early days, we'll see what happens," the journalist explained during an appearance on Mark Dolan's Talk TV. "I've known her for a long time.

"I knew Derek. I was a political commentator."

Halligan added, "In recent years, for different reasons, we have both become single, against our wishes. So, in recent weeks and months, Kate and I have become good friends."