Kate Garraway announces the heartbreaking passing of her husband Derek Draper at the age of 56

Derek Draper, a former political adviser and author, has passed away at the age of 56, according to his wife, TV presenter Kate Garraway. Draper had been battling severe complications from Covid after contracting the virus in March 2020. Garraway confirmed his death in an Instagram statement, expressing her sadness and gratitude to the medical teams who had worked to save him. Draper had been critically ill since suffering a cardiac arrest in December, which resulted in further complications due to the damage caused by Covid. Despite spending over a year in the hospital and still not regaining his speech, he returned home in April 2021 on a trial basis while receiving round-the-clock care. However, his condition worsened, and he was readmitted to the hospital in July 2022. Draper's battle with Covid garnered attention and support from figures such as former prime minister Tony Blair and the royal family. The family's experience was chronicled in the award-winning documentary "Finding Derek." Garraway has taken an indefinite leave of absence and cancelled her TV and radio work. Draper and Garraway married in 2005 and have two children together. Draper, originally from Chorley, was a former Labour Party lobbyist and author. He left politics in 1998 following the "Lobbygate" scandal, after which he retrained as a psychotherapist and wrote on psychotherapy topics. He founded the LabourList website in 2009. Tony Blair and other New Labour figures paid tribute to Draper's political influence and personal qualities, while colleagues and celebrities expressed their condolences to Garraway and her family.