Kate Garraway cosies up to broadcaster after ‘growing close’ 2 years since husband’s death

Kate Garraway has supported rumoured new beau Liam Halligan ahead of his charity bike ride to France (Picture: Shutterstock/X/Liam Halligan)

Kate Garraway’s close friendship with broadcaster and journalist Liam Halligan is continuing to go from strength to strength, it seems.

Garraway’s husband, Derek Draper, tragically passed away due to complications from COVID-19 in 2024.

Since then, the Good Morning Britain presenter and Celebrity Traitors star, 59, has been growing closer to Halligan, who she has known for 20 years.

Rumours that the pair had grown close stepped up a notch last month, after he described their relationship as being in its ‘early days.’

After visiting an Essex pub to watch his band play live, Garraway has now showed her support for Halligan ahead of a 300km charity bike ride to Paris.

In the picture, shared by Halligan to X, he could be seen posing with Garraway and cycling partner Serge Kogan – both wearing beaming smiles upon their faces.

Garraway is believed to have grown close to Halligan in recent months (Picture: Shutterstock) Garraway joined Halligan and his cycling partner for a picture before they set off (Picture: Liam Halligan/X)

‘It’s today!’ wrote Halligan on X, adding: ‘London-to-Paris in 24 hours, 300km, on a tandem.’

Among the pictures he posted was the snap of himself, Kogan and Garraway, only adding fuel to rumours that they are dating.

Now well into his epic bike ride, Halligan has continued to share updates from his journey throughout.

‘Deep into Northern France now. Over 200km on the board – getting tired but the end is coming into view!’ he wrote, almost 24 hours on from his original post.

And her presence didn’t go unnoticed, with X user ‘Rambo’ asking whether she’d be ‘following you on her trike?’

Harrison Chase suggested that she accompany him to France, describing it as ‘a larf you’ll both remember in your retirement years.’

Halligan is the former business editor at GB News (Picture: PA)

Sunday Telegraph columnist and former GB News business editor is separated from his partner, journalist Lucy Ward, with whom he shares a son and two daughters.

Of his ‘friendship’ with Garraway, he said: ‘It’s early days, we’ll see what happens.’

Speaking to Mark Dolan on Talk TV, he continued: ‘I’ve known her for a long time, I knew Derek, I was a political commentator, of course, I knew him. In recent years, for different reasons, we have both become single, against our wishes…

Describing how he and Garraway had ‘become good friends,’ he explained that she’d come to see his band play, where pictures were taken of them both together.

He added: ‘Kate and I are good friends, it’s early days, we’ll see what happens.’

Garraway was married to the late political advisor Derek Draper (Picture: ITV/Shutterstock)

Meanwhile, Garraway married former political advisor and psychotherapist Draper in 2005, before welcoming daughter Darcey a year later, and later son William in 2009.

They had planned to renew their wedding vows in 2020, but were forced to postpone when Draper fell ill with COVID – subsequently requiring around-the-clock care due to ensuing complications.

Garraway announced news of her husband’s death in January 2024, posting a photo on Instagram and writing: ‘I’m sad to have to tell you all that my darling husband Derek has passed away.

Describing how he first suffered a cardiac arrest in 2020, she continued: ‘Derek was surrounded by his family in his final days and I was by his side holding his hand throughout the last long hours and when he passed.

‘I have so much more to say, and of course I will do so in due course, but for now I just want to thank all the medical teams who fought so hard to save him and to make his final moments as comfortable and dignified as possible.

‘Sending so much love and thanks to all of you who have so generously given our family so much support. Rest gently and peacefully now Derek, my love, I was so lucky to have you in my life.’

Draper died after a long period suffering the effects of COVID-19 (Picture: ITV)

Earlier this year, it was reported that Garraway had switched her wedding and engagement ring to her right hand, in his memory.

According to The Sun, Garraway initially made the swap while filming a challenge for Celebrity Traitors last year.

A spokesperson told the tabloid: ‘Since then [she] wears them on her right hand every day in memory of Derek.’

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