Kate Garraway Moves NTAs Viewers To Tears With Emotional Acceptance Speech

"ITV didn’t know whether this would be a story about bereavement or triumph… and in the end, it ended up being something between the two."

Kate Garraway won huge praise from NTAs viewers after picking up an award for the documentary about her husband Derek Draper’s ongoing struggles with Covid-related complications.

Earlier this year, Kate appeared in the documentary Finding Derek, which followed the Good Morning Britain presenter and her family as they adapted to Derek’s illness.

Derek was admitted to hospital after contracting coronavirus in March 2020, and while he is now at home with his family, he still faces many health issues as a result of the illness.

During Thursday night’s National Television Awards, Finding Derek triumphed in the Authored Documentary category, as voted for by the public.

“Thank you so much,” Kate said at the beginning of her speech. “It was a hugely brave decision for ITV to commission this. They didn’t know whether it was a story about bereavement or triumph… and in the end, it ended up being something between the two.”

She continued: “Thank you so much for voting, I wonder if the reason you did is because our story is your story? We’ve all been touched by the pandemic, whether it’s livelihoods, or mental health.

“All the other stellar documentaries [nominated tonight] are about issues] affected by the pandemic.”

Referencing the son and daughter she shares with Derek, Kate added: “To all the Darcys and Billys and Dereks… whatever you’re going through, and however you’re affected – you’re not forgotten.”

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Derek Draper and Kate Garraway pictured in December 2019
Can Nguyen/Shutterstock

Finally, Kate gave a shout out to Derek, her husband of 16 years.

“He should be here,” Kate said. “He should have had the chance to tell your own story. Derek, you’re going to get the chance – believe! The hope is real.”

Kate’s emotional speech won over viewers watching along at home, many of whom said they were moved to tears by her words:

Among this year’s NTAs winners were Line Of Duty and Coronation Street, which picked up two awards each.

For the full list of winners, click here.

NTAs 2021: All The Red Carpet Snaps You Need To See
Ant and Dec(01 of55)
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Nominated for I'm A Celebrity, Britain's Got Talent and Ant And Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway (credit:Anthony Harvey/Shutterstock)
Alan Carr and Beverley Knight(02 of55)
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Nominated for RuPaul's Drag Race UK (credit:David Fisher/Shutterstock)
Bimini Bon Boulash, Lawrence Chaney and Tayce(03 of55)
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Nominated for RuPaul's Drag Race UK (credit:Ian West/PA Wire)
Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughy(04 of55)
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Nominated for This Morning (credit:Anthony Harvey/Shutterstock)
Harvey and Katie Price(05 of55)
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Nominated for Katie Price: Harvey & Me (credit:Karwai Tang via Getty Images)
Nicola Adams and Ella Baig(06 of55)
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Nominated for Strictly Come Dancing (credit:Dave J Hogan via Getty Images)
Olly Alexander(07 of55)
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Nominated for It's A Sin (credit:David Fisher/Shutterstock)
Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford(08 of55)
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Nominated for This Morning and Loose Women (credit:Anthony Harvey/Shutterstock)
Victoria Derbyshire(09 of55)
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Nominated for I'm A Celebrity (credit:David Fisher/Shutterstock)
Marvin and Rochelle Humes(10 of55)
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Nominated for This Morning (credit:David M. Benett via Getty Images)
Jenny Ryan(11 of55)
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Nominated for The Chase and Beat The Chasers (credit:David M. Benett via Getty Images)
Davina McCall(12 of55)
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Nominated for The Masked Singer (credit:David M. Benett via Getty Images)
Toby Aromolaran and Chloe Burrows(13 of55)
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Nominated for Love Island (credit:Anthony Harvey/Shutterstock)
Liam Reardon and Millie Court(14 of55)
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Nominated for Love Island (credit:Anthony Harvey/Shutterstock)
Kaz Kamwi and Tyler Cruickshank(15 of55)
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Nominated for Love Island (credit:Anthony Harvey/Shutterstock)
Faye Winter and Teddy Soares(16 of55)
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Nominated for Love Island (credit:David M. Benett via Getty Images)
Ben Shephard and Kate Garraway(17 of55)
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Nominated for Kate Garraway: Finding Derek (credit:Anthony Harvey/Shutterstock)
Jonathan Ross(18 of55)
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Nominated for The Masked Singer (credit:David M. Benett via Getty Images)
Laura Whitmore(19 of55)
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Nominated for Love Island (credit:Gareth Cattermole via Getty Images)
JLS(20 of55)
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Performers (credit:Karwai Tang via Getty Images)
Joel Dommett(21 of55)
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Host, Nominated for The Masked Singer (credit:Scott Garfitt/Shutterstock)
Joel Dommett(22 of55)
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Host, Nominated for The Masked Singer (credit:Scott Garfitt/Shutterstock)
Charlene White(23 of55)
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Nominated for Loose Women (credit:Gareth Cattermole via Getty Images)
Frankie Bridge(24 of55)
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Nominated for Loose Women (credit:Karwai Tang via Getty Images)
Anne Hegerty(25 of55)
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Nominated for The Chase and Beat The Chasers (credit:David M. Benett via Getty Images)
Ricky Gervais and Jane Fallon(26 of55)
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Nominated for After Life (credit:Mike Marsland via Getty Images)
Vernon Kay and Giovanna Fletcher(27 of55)
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Nominated for I'm A Celebrity (credit:David M. Benett via Getty Images)
Janette Manrara(28 of55)
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Nominated for Strictly Come Dancing (credit:Anthony Harvey/Shutterstock)
Dr Zoe Williams(29 of55)
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Nominated for This Morning (credit:Mike Marsland via Getty Images)
Julie and Tom Malone(30 of55)
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Nominated for Gogglebox (credit:Mike Marsland via Getty Images)
Shaun Dooley, David Carlyle and Nathaniel Curtis(31 of55)
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Nominated for It's A Sin (credit:David M. Benett via Getty Images)
HRVY(32 of55)
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Performer, Nominated for Strictly Come Dancing (credit:David M. Benett via Getty Images)
AJ Pritchard(33 of55)
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Nominated, I'm A Celebrity (credit:David Fisher/Shutterstock)
Jessie Wallace(34 of55)
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Nominated for EastEnders (credit:Karwai Tang via Getty Images)
Stephen Mulhern(35 of55)
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Nominated for Celebrity Catchphrase and In For A Penny (credit:David M. Benett via Getty Images)
Michael McIntyre and his wife, Kitty(36 of55)
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Nominated for Michael McIntyre's The Wheel (credit:Anthony Harvey/Shutterstock)
Danny Dyer(37 of55)
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Nominated for EastEnders (credit:David Fisher/Shutterstock)
Maya Jama(38 of55)
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(credit:Gareth Cattermole via Getty Images)
Maura Higgins(39 of55)
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(credit:Gareth Cattermole via Getty Images)
Alex Scott(40 of55)
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(credit:Karwai Tang via Getty Images)
Emily Atack(41 of55)
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(credit:David M. Benett via Getty Images)
Mollie King(42 of55)
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(credit:David M. Benett via Getty Images)
Fleur East(43 of55)
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(credit:Karwai Tang via Getty Images)
Katherine Ryan(44 of55)
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(credit:Mike Marsland via Getty Images)
Martin Kemp(45 of55)
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(credit:David M. Benett via Getty Images)
Jayne Torvill(46 of55)
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(credit:David Fisher/Shutterstock)
Angelica Bell(47 of55)
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(credit:David M. Benett via Getty Images)
Amy Childs(48 of55)
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(credit:Gareth Cattermole via Getty Images)
Billie Faiers(49 of55)
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(credit:Gareth Cattermole via Getty Images)
Chloe Sims(50 of55)
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(credit:David M. Benett via Getty Images)
Michelle Heaton(51 of55)
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(credit:David M. Benett via Getty Images)
Lydia Bright(52 of55)
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(credit:Dave J Hogan via Getty Images)
Lilah Parsons(53 of55)
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(credit:Gareth Cattermole via Getty Images)
Pixie Lott(54 of55)
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(credit:David M. Benett via Getty Images)
Bobby Norris(55 of55)
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(credit:Karwai Tang via Getty Images)