Kate Garraway has returned to Good Morning Britain just hours following the National Television Awards (NTAs) and has shared her experience of accepting an award for “Derek’s Story.”
Kate Garraway disclosed that she experienced an “out of body” sensation while accepting the award for Derek’s Story at the National Television Awards (NTAs) last night. Despite the emotional moment, she returned to television just hours after the event concluded.
The 57-year-old described the award as a “total tribute” to her late husband, Derek, and received congratulations from her Good Morning Britain colleagues, Susanna Reid and Ed Balls.
During her acceptance speech, alongside her two children, Darcey, 18, and Billy, 15, Garraway became tearful on stage, referring to the win for Best Authored Documentary as “bittersweet.”
This morning, Kate Garraway revealed she questioned whether she had “made any sense” as she walked off stage, overwhelmed by the emotion of the moment shared with her family. The event held particular significance, occurring close to what would have been her 20th wedding anniversary with Derek.
However, there was little opportunity to celebrate or reflect, as Kate returned to the Good Morning Britain studio this morning for her regular presenting duties, NTA trophy in hand.
Susanna Reid offered her congratulations to Kate Garraway, stating, “Huge congratulations to you, Kate, and such a wonderful speech. A total tribute to Derek.”
Kate, smiling, responded, “A total tribute to Derek—it was his story, and also to the production company who portrayed it so beautifully, not just for him, but for all carers. I’m glad you said it was a beautiful speech because it felt like such an out-of-body experience. I came off stage thinking, ‘Did I make any sense?!’ It was such a strange moment, and the children were lovely, so thank you.”
She added, “This award is for the carers, for the vulnerable who need care, and for the amazing professional carers who provide it.”
Kate Garraway: Derek’s Story documents the last few months in the life of Kate’s late husband, Derek Draper. A political lobbyist, Derek passed away in January at the age of 56, after contracting COVID-19 in 2020 and never fully recovering.
During her moving speech at the NTAs, Kate began by saying, “This is a bittersweet one, isn’t it? It’s very bitter to be here, alongside the gorgeous Darcey and Billy. I promised them they wouldn’t have to say anything. We’re in the midst of a year of firsts—the first Easter, the first birthdays, all without Derek. It’s so strange to be here at the Television Awards for the first time without him.”
Derek Draper had previously been the focus of two documentaries, Kate Garraway: Finding Derek (2021) and Kate Garraway: Caring For Derek (2022).
The National Television Awards follow an emotional moment for Kate, who remembered Derek on Tuesday, marking what would have been their 20th wedding anniversary. She shared a heartfelt message with her 1.3 million Instagram followers, expressing her gratitude for having experienced his love.
In the video, Kate began by saying, “Today would’ve been my 20th wedding anniversary to Derek. I mean, it still is my 20th wedding anniversary to Derek. It’s just one of those days, like Christmas, Easter, or his birthday, where you feel a punch to the stomach.”
She added, “I’ve been feeling particularly sorry for myself with this one because it’s such a personal day for Derek and me. The fact that he’s not here makes me feel his absence like a roaring train. I’ve been leaning into the grief, as everyone says you should, and re-reading some of his beautiful anniversary messages. I’m so grateful to have had that kind of romance and love in my life. I’m so lucky.”
Earlier in September, Kate Garraway made an emotional appeal to Good Morning Britain viewers, revealing the backlash she faced after the release of Derek’s Story. In a candid conversation with Lorraine Kelly and co-host Ed Balls, Kate admitted, “I haven’t even posted about being nominated yet because of the backlash. People were saying, ‘Stop going on about it.’ But then I realized I’m letting people down by staying silent.”
She went on to share her husband Derek’s feelings of guilt, explaining, “One of his biggest frustrations was feeling like a total failure, a burden on the carers, the system, and us. No matter what we said, he couldn’t shake that feeling. He wanted to be a contributor.”
Kate added, “It’s wonderful to have the chance to honor him and the millions of others in similar situations. I’m sad because I no longer have the opportunity to care for him, but I feel it would be wrong to walk away from the caring campaign I now have a responsibility to continue.”
Meanwhile, Ant and Dec were awarded the Best Presenter honor for a record 23rd time at the 2024 National Television Awards held at London’s O2 Arena. Despite their ongoing success, it was Mr Bates vs The Post Office that dominated the evening, winning three awards. Toby Jones took home the prize for Serial Drama Performance for his critically acclaimed role in the series. During his speech, Jones congratulated real-life Post Office campaigner Sir Alan Bates, who recently married his longtime partner Susanne on Richard Branson’s private island.
In his acceptance speech, Toby Jones expressed his gratitude, saying, “This is an extraordinary project, brilliantly commissioned, directed with flair, and featuring the best actors I could possibly hope to work with. I’m truly honored.”
Mr Bates vs The Post Office brought renewed public attention to the wrongful prosecution of subpostmasters during the Horizon IT scandal, earning the Impact Award at the National Television Awards.
Despite a turbulent year marred by scandals and controversy, Strictly Come Dancing won the Talent Show category at the NTAs. The BBC show triumphed over Britain’s Got Talent, The Great British Bake Off, Masterchef, and The Voice.
Amid concerns for the show’s future following accusations of abuse against professional dancers Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima, the victory signals that public support remains strong as Strictly prepares for its 20th series, set to begin Saturday. The NTAs are voted for by the public, and the win reflects the audience’s continued enthusiasm for the show.
Hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman were joined on stage by the professional dancers and creative team of Strictly Come Dancing as they accepted the award.
Meanwhile, This Morning experienced a surprise loss, missing out on the coveted Daytime prize to fan-favorite The Chase. This setback follows a difficult year for This Morning, which saw Holly Willoughby leave the show in October, later replaced by Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard.
The Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award went to I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! for the fifth time.
Davina McCall became emotional as she accepted the Special Recognition Prize, presented to her by longtime friend Hannah Waddingham.
Davina McCall, visibly moved, expressed her gratitude upon receiving the Special Recognition Prize, saying, “Thank you so much, this means so much. I can’t even begin to tell you—I don’t even know where to start. I love my job, and I feel so privileged to be able to share it with you. You might like some of it, not all of it. I’ve presented some turkeys, I know!”
The evening concluded with Emmerdale winning the prize for Serial Drama.
