Kate Garraway tried to keep her emotions in check as she implored the health secretary to meet with her about social care.
Since her husband Derek Draper, 56, became gravely ill with Covid during the epidemic, the presenter has been caring for him.
While reading the news on Good Morning Britain’s Thursday morning broadcast, the singer seized the opportunity to respond to Steve Barclay and his team’s ignored requests.
After speaking with Susanna Ried and Ben Shephard, the government official was handed over to Kate, who was seated at the far end of the table, eager to meet with him via video chat.
The singer, who appeared glassy-eyed, began explaining that she only wanted to request a private meeting away from the public broadcast to discuss the concerns with social care in the UK.
She immediately became chocked up and exclaimed: ‘I don’t want to cry’, as she further outlined why she wanted a meeting so badly.
Kate said: ‘I don’t want to ambush you on air but I have been trying to contact you and I have been trying to contact Helen Whately as well and I haven’t been able to.
‘I’d like to come and talk to you – not about Derek by the way, this is not me trying to get something for him.
‘This is about representing millions of people across the country who, like me, in one hand feel like they’re holding the life of their loved one and in the other hand punching away at a system and it isn’t about money.
‘I’ve got five points and I’d love to meet with you if you would return some of my attempts to contact you.’
In response, Steve was agreeable and said: ‘It’s the first I’ve heard that you’ve been trying to reach out to me so that message hadn’t got to me so I can absolutely confirm that I would be very happy to meet so we will pick this up after the interview and set that meeting up.’
Derek, Kate’s husband, has been in and out of the hospital in recent years due to brain inflammation, liver and pancreatic damage, and renal failure caused by the virus.
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV1 and ITVX.
