Kate Garraway, the 59-year-old Good Morning Britain host, shared a warm moment with broadcaster friend Liam Halligan as he geared up for a grueling 300km charity tandem bike ride from London to Paris.
Epic 24-Hour Cycling Challenge
Liam Halligan, 56, and cycling partner Serge Kogan plan to conquer the 300km distance in just 24 hours to raise funds for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), a condition Liam was diagnosed with in childhood. Liam shared an update on X, stating: ‘It’s today! London-to-Paris in 24 hours, 300km, on a tandem.’
The award-winning journalist, formerly economics editor at GB News and a columnist for The Sunday Telegraph, is a single father to a son and two daughters, Maeve and Ailis, who occasionally join him in his band, The Hooligans.
Deepening Friendship After Loss
Garraway lost her husband, Derek Draper, to Covid-19 complications in January 2024 following a cardiac arrest. Draper, a former political lobbyist and psychotherapist, had battled severe illness since contracting Covid in March 2020. She continues to live in their north London home with children Darcey, 20, and Billie, 16.
Garraway and Halligan, friends for over 20 years and both recently single, have grown closer. Halligan knew Draper personally. During an appearance on Mark Dolan’s TalkTV show, Halligan confirmed their bond, saying: ‘I’ve known her for a long time, I knew Derek… In recent years for different reasons, we have both become single, against our wishes. So, in recent weeks and months, Kate and I have become good friends.’
He added: ‘Kate and I are good friends, it’s early days, we’ll see what happens.’
Recent Outings Spark Interest
Over the weekend, Garraway visited Halligan’s hometown of Saffron Walden, Essex, where she joined him at The Railway Arms pub during a performance by The Hooligans. Locals noted the pair appeared close amid singing and dancing.
A close friend shared: ‘Kate has formed a close friendship with Liam and they really enjoy one another’s company. Liam makes her laugh, he is very funny… It’s lovely to see Kate smiling again.’
Neighbors reported excitement over Garraway’s visits, with sightings at Halligan’s home in recent weeks. The friendship offers support amid ongoing family grief following Draper’s death.
Garraway recently called her Celebrity Traitors experience on BBC ‘transformative’ after her loss.
