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SECRET STRENGTH
Kate Garraway has been so courageous, says pal Richard Arnold as he reveals special way GMB will support her on Thursday
Richard shared his fondest memory of Derek and why his funeral left him 'overwhelmed'
Kate Garraway’s close pal Richard Arnold has revealed the special way Good Morning Britain will support her when she returns to work on Thursday.
Richard, who is an ambassador for praised his ‘courageous’ colleague in a chat with The Sun today, just hours after Kate's emotional interview about her husband Derek Draper’s death on the breakfast show.
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He said: “Like so many people in her position she's demonstrated such courage and such humanity and I know the viewers relate to that, too. I mean anyone, who has been a carer, unsung or otherwise, you've got to dig deep.
Richard added: “I know she draws an awful lot of that strength, not just from her pals here at GMB both on the screen and behind the scenes, but also the outpouring of support she's had over the last few years from the viewers.
“It’s been an extraordinary amount of support for her which is wonderful. And I do know that she draws an awful lot of strength from that, the whole family does.”
And the show’s resident Entertainment Editor says the show’s team will do everything they can to make sure Kate is as supported as possible during her return to the studio later this week.
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He explained: I know there'll be a huge warm welcome for her when she gets back. You know, obviously it's a very poignant time, very personal time for the team as well.”
Last week, Kate said goodbye to Derek at his star-studded funeral, and Richard was there to support her through it.
He revealed how he was emotional to return to the Church of St Mary the Virgin in Primrose Hill for the service, as it was where he watched Kate and Derek wed years earlier.
Richard recalled: “I was at the church in 2005 when they got spliced, so, to be back there, obviously to give Derek this phenomenal send-off was quite overwhelming”
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Richard also stressed that it was solely Kate’s decision to return to fronting the show just over a month after Derek’s death on January 3.
He revealed: "It was always Kate’s call to make a decision to return. Anyone in that position who's grieving, knows themselves. I think it's a very personal thing, isn't it? When the time is right. Regardless of whether or not you're in a job that obviously, you have to be front and centre and all smiles.
Kate Garraway dances with late Derek Draper in heartbreaking video shared by her friend after star buries her husband
“Everyone knows in themselves when it’s the right time to come back.”
Richard can draw on his own experience on returning to work a few weeks after his dad David’s death seven years ago, and still remembers how supported he was by his GMB pals.
He recalled: “I knew it was time, and I sort of settled mum down into a new rhythm such as it was at the time.”
“Coming back was like a form of sanctuary in many respects. In that position to get back into to do the day job. Regardless of what that day job is, to be surrounded by your colleagues and friends is a relief in many respects.”
“[When my dad died] I had a huge amount of support from the team. They always said, you know, ‘if there's anything we can do, anything practical…’ so that was great. Knowing that you have that sort of support in the workplace [is wonderful] and the thing is we're very close to a bunch.
It comes as...
- Kate revealed she held her husband's hand as he died
- Derek's last photo shows him at pal Peter Mandeson's wedding
- Kate's co-stars including Susanna Reid have led tributes to the dad-of-two
- Derek's health battles revealed after he suffered heart attack before Christmas
- ITV bosses will give Kate ‘as much time off as she needs’
“I mean I've been doing this now for about 27 years you know in various incarnations of ITV breakfast and what we all have in common here, again whether you're sort of on screen or whether you're behind the scenes, is we are the first people that we see every day. The first people, we talk to.
"You know you leave the house in the dark every morning and the first people you see are your colleagues and so over that period of time, we've gone through an enormous amount. We've gone through, you know, birth, death, marriages.
"There are no sort of heirs and graces when you come in. You’re very transparent from the get-go in the morning and that in itself is a huge comfort because you don't feel like you have to be anything other than you.”
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As for Richard’s fondest memories of Kate and Derek, he will always hold a special place in his heart for the day he and Derek watched Kate getting her MBE last June at Windsor Castle.
“I was sat next to Derek,” Richard said. “And it was just a wonderful moment to see him just beam emotionally, you know, with pride at Kate.”
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