Kate Garraway has opened up on the staggering bill she received from liquidators after closing her late husband, Derek Draper’s, business just weeks after admitting she had already dipped into her pension.
Draper died back in January 2024 from extreme complications of Covid-19 which he contracted in March 2020, battling his illness for four years and documenting his journey.
Garraway announced his death with an emotional Instagram post which led to thousands of tributes flooding in, including former Prime Minister Tony Blair praising a “good colleague and great friend.”
Drapers last year was documented in Kate Garraway: Derek’s Story, which aired in March 2024, following two previous award-winning films about the former political advisor, Finding Derek and Caring for Derek.
The ITV presenter recently revealed she is facing yet another financial hurdle as she recently handled a jaw-dropping £150,000 bill as liquidators closed Derek Draper’s business.
Garraway is expected to fork out a staggering flat fee of £32,000 plus 40 per cent of assets recovered from psychotherapeutic company, Astra Aspera, founded by Draper.
Kate has previously opened up about her financial struggles
ITV
Derek died after having severe complications from Covid-19
ITV
“Kate has wisely sought some help and is working with a team to help guide her through addressing all these debts as speedily as possible.”
Garraway has been open about her trouble and recently admitted on Good Morning Britain: “I’ve just had to withdraw a bit you can tax-free for my pension to pay for belated bills for my husband who passed away.
“People are having to do the things – not that it was a huge pension in the first place – people are having to do things which aren’t what they saved for and some people don’t have any savings at all.”
Despite having to pay off thousands, the presenter has noted she does not “regret or begrudge” covering Draper’s extensive care debts, telling ITV’s This Morning it was “the right thing to do”.
Derek’s health battle was documented over three series
ITV
“I was lucky because I had a job where people understood and gave me time to rush off to the hospital at a moment’s notice, or be around, or go to the appointments, or be there to care.
“There was one time when they cancelled the care, which turned out to be a mistake, and in the end, the carer did turn up even though they didn’t know they were going to get paid.
“And that’s the people that you’re dealing with, they’re travelling a long way, they don’t always live near you, they came. For those that are professional carers that are doing it on their own, it’s a massive thing and I don’t even think it’s political…
“I think it’s all of us, we’ve just got to realise that we have to make this a priority. As a society, we have to because we’re all going to get sick, we’re all going to be vulnerable, we’re all going to need it, or be the person doing the caring, probably both in a lifetime.”