Kate Garraway has spoken publicly about her new romance with Liam Halligan for the very first time — and admitted she is terrified of “jinxing” their relationship after enduring years of heartbreak following the death of her husband, Derek Draper.
The beloved Good Morning Britain presenter, 59, appeared at the Chelsea Flower Show where she was asked about her blossoming romance just days after the pair went public.
Smiling as she addressed the relationship, Kate admitted: “It is lovely. I suppose it is!”
The TV star was first linked to Liam last week after she appeared to support him during a charity cycling challenge from London to Paris in aid of Duchenne UK. The pair were seen cuddling together and grinning throughout the event, immediately sparking speculation that Kate had found love again.
Liam — who hosts The Telegraph’s Planet Normal podcast — later confirmed there was a “definite spark” between them, while revealing their romance was still in its early stages.
Now Kate herself has finally opened up — though she confessed she is desperate not to tempt fate.
“We basically haven’t really had time for a proper date!” she laughed. “I don’t want to jinx it! I don’t want to say anything because I will jinx it! I will jinx it. We all love an Irishman don’t we?”
The emotional moment comes more than two years after Derek Draper’s death in January 2024 following his devastating long Covid battle — a journey that deeply touched the nation.
Kate and Derek married in 2005 and shared two children together, Darcey, 20, and Billy, 16. Throughout Derek’s illness, Kate documented the heartbreaking reality of caring for him through several emotional television documentaries.
Despite the grief she has endured, Kate admitted Liam has brought some much-needed happiness into her life — although family worries continue to weigh heavily on her.
She revealed that both of her parents have recently been unwell, explaining: “He says to me, ‘Now we’re in the papers, is there a chance we can actually have some dates?’ But my mum and dad have not been very well so I’ve been really consumed by that.”
“My dad was supposed to be with me actually [at Chelsea] but he’s not well enough. I’m very lucky to have both of them and I know it’s normal.”
Kate admitted the relationship has offered a rare bit of joy during an emotionally exhausting period.
“Yes. It’s lovely. And it’s lovely to have you all caring!” she said warmly.
The presenter also opened up about her love of gardening while attending the famous flower show, joking that her own garden is currently “shameful” because life has become so hectic.
“There’s something magical and comforting about planting things and watching them come up,” she explained. “There’s something about getting your hands dirty.”
