warm welcome

Ben Shephard’s sweet gesture to Kate Garraway on her return to GMB after two months as Susanna Reid welcomes her back

Kate had a message for viewers after two months off air

BEN Shephard made sure Kate Garraway felt supported as she returned to Good Morning Britain today following the death of her husband.

Kate, 56, was reunited with her co-host and close friend after two months off air and admitted she felt “wobbly” and “weird”.

In a touching moment, Ben, 49, was quick to reassure her that it was OK to be nervous and joked he would give her a bit of "leeway".

He then described Derek's funeral as "extraordinary" and said it was a "real celebration" that would have made him "proud".

Brave Kate told him: "I wanted to make it about Derek, not about me.

"That changes this morning, it's back to me."

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Kate continued: "Everybody's just been so nice. All of you, honestly, it's amazing."

But she confessed people who experience grief might not see the "love around them" because they don't have public-facing jobs".

Brave Kate Garraway in emotional TV interview following husband Derek Draper's funeral

Kate also thanked "you at home" saying her fans have been "incredible".

She said: "Thank you to all of you at home as well. You have been incredible.

"I keep saying, just treat me normally, everyone realises they don't know how to anymore."

Kate was last seen on GMB on December 8 before taking a break to look after Derek following his deterioration.

Derek died, aged 53, less than a month later on January 3, after suffering long-lasting symptoms from coronavirus.

During Kate's time off she was replaced by Ranvir Singh.

Kate usually presents the Thursday and Friday show, since she joined back in 2014.

March 30, 2020: Derek is rushed unresponsive to hospital with Covid.
April 24: He is put into an induced coma.
June 5: Kate reveals Derek is Covid-free but his body suffered damage.
July 5: He awakens from a deep coma but remains "minimally conscious".
September 6: Kate then reveals Derek lost eight stone and cannot speak.
September 29: Derek becomes the longest-suffering Covid patient after spending 184 days in hospital.
October 30: Wakes from coma and speaks for the first time in seven months.
October 31: He is finally taken off ventilator after 214 days in hospital.
January 7, 2021: Kate reveals kids got to visit Derek at Christmas - the first time since he was hospitalised.
April 9: Derek returns home after over a year but needs full-time care.
May 4: He is able to converse more.
December 22: Pictured in public for the first time at a panto.
February 21, 2022: Kate says they secretly flew to Mexico for a medical trial.
July 6: Derek is rushed back to hospital.
August 1: He is in intensive care with "life-threatening" sepsis.
June 28, 2023: He sees wife Kate made MBE.
October 8: Kate reveals Derek is "not doing great" after an infection.
November 23: In hospital for treatment to help with movement.
December 11: Taken ill and suffers a heart attack.
January 3: Derek Draper tragically dies.