Lorraine Kelly has said she is “so bloody proud” of her colleague Kate Garraway for staying strong throughout her husband’s coronavirus battle.

The Good Morning Britain (GMB) presenter’s husband, Derek Draper, has been in hospital since March when he was placed in an induced coma after contracting Covid-19.

While Draper has since emerged from a “deeper coma” and is now “Covid-free”, the virus has left him with a host of health problems, including a hole in his heart and the need for kidney dialysis after complications with his pancreas.

Writing in her column for The Sun, Kelly praised Garraway’s strength and stoicism over the last four-months as she prepares to return to work at GMB for the first time since her husband was hospitalised.

“During that time she has been coping with the unimaginable pain and distress of her husband Derek battling for his life after contracting Covid-19,” Kelly wrote.

“Kate has never once complained or asked: ‘Why me?’ She has simply soldiered on, reassuring and raising her children, praising the NHS and helping others in the same boat.

“At times it has been a lonely, miserable, tough voyage through uncharted waters. But Kate steered a stoic and steady course throughout.”

Kelly went on to explain that Garraway has “never given up” on her husband and remains hopeful for the future.

“While he is still breathing, she keeps focused on the day he will be back at home where he belongs,” Kelly wrote.

“The fact that Derek is still alive is remarkable and even the most experienced and seasoned doctors declare him to be a miracle patient. Kate is loath, however, to say that Derek is a fighter, as she doesn’t want others who didn’t survive to be looked upon as failures who lost their own private war. That is so typical of this big-hearted, generous woman.”

Kelly also opened up about how difficult she found not being able to embrace Garraway when she made a recent appearance on GMB to be interviewed by Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid.

“While it was wonderful to see her in person, it was also really poignant because none of us could give her the massive hug she deserves,” she wrote.

“We all adhere to the rules on social distancing, so even a brief embrace was impossible. I found that very hard.”

She continued: “I’m just so bloody proud of her, of [Kate and Derek’s children] Darcey and Billy too, and so pleased she will be back with us, where she belongs, on Monday.”

Garraway recently spoke of her decision to return to GMB during a guest appearance on the ITV breakfast show.

Describing being in the studio again as being “like coming out of a little bubble of sadness”, she said: “It’s life, it’s livelihood, it’s fear and anxiety, I have got to get on and do the things I’m good at. I’m going to come back on Monday, if you’ll have me, you two are going. I’ve not quite got the fight to be a Piers Morgan but I’m gonna be with Ben Shephard.

“The doctors have said I’ve got to get on, they’ve been worried about me.”

The presenter will be returning to her role presenting on GMB from 13 July.

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