Kate Garraway sparks concern with Good Morning Britain absence after her father was 'rushed to hospital following a stroke and heart attack'
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Kate Garraway has sparked concern after she was absent from Good Morning Britain during Friday's show.
The TV presenter, 57, is reportedly keeping a bedside vigil after her father Gordon suffered a suspected stroke and heart attack on Tuesday.
The star is said to have rushed out of work minutes after the ITV show wrapped earlier this week upon being told her father had collapsed.
And Kate has missed filming for the show for the rest of the week as she travelled to Cornwall to be with her dad, with Charlotte Hawkins going on air in her absence.
Charlotte, 49, was joined by Judge Rob Rinder for Friday's episode as a fan took to Twitter to share their concern for Kate's whereabouts.
Kate Garraway has sparked concern with Good Morning Britain absence on Friday after her father was rushed to hospital following a stroke on Tuesday
The TV presenter, 57, has missed filming for the show for the rest of the week as she travelled to Cornwall to be with her dad, with Charlotte Hawkins going on air in her absence alongside Judge Rinder
They wrote: 'Guessing Kate's off #GMB because of her dad... sending love.'
A source told The Sun: 'Very sadly, Kate's father collapsed earlier this week while staying, along with her mum and her brother in Cornwall.
'It was incredibly frightening as he was found unconscious and immediately taken to hospital. It seems likely that he's had a stroke and possibly a heart attack as well - doctors are still doing tests.
'He remains in hospital and is currently stable but, understandably, it's given the whole family a terrible scare and they are praying he can recover.'
The insider added Kate was due to be off air for a few weeks anyway so can divide her time between the hospital and caring for her children Darcey and Billy.
The presenter was replaced on Good Morning Britain by both Ranvir Singh and Charlotte.
The source then said that it is a 'stressful' time for the family but Kate is doing her best to 'look after everyone'.
MailOnline has contacted representatives of Kate Garraway for comment.
Kate is reportedly keeping a bedside vigil after her father Gordon suffered a suspected stroke and heart attack on Tuesday.
One fan shared their concern as they wrote: 'Guessing Kate's off #GMB because of her dad... sending love'
A source said: 'It seems likely that he's had a stroke and possibly a heart attack as well' (Kate pictured with her father, mother Marilyn and late husband Derek)
It has been a difficult year for Kate after her husband Derek Draper died in January almost four years after he was struck down by Covid
It has been a difficult year for Kate after her husband Derek Draper died in January almost four years after he was struck down by Covid.
Derek suffered one of the worst affected case of Covid in the UK, with the virus attacking every organ in his body.
Former Labour insider and psychotherapist Derek married Kate in 2005 and they went on to welcome children Darcey, 17, and Billy, 14.
In 2021, just over a year after contracting Covid, he was able to leave hospital and return to his family home in north London, with round-the-clock care.
In August 2022 he was taken to hospital with sepsis but pulled through. Then in early December 2023, Derek had a heart attack and was taken to hospital again.
Tragically, he wasn't able to overcome the latest medical emergency and on January 5, Kate confirmed that Derek died.
In a post on social media, she said her husband died surrounded by family and that she was 'holding his hand throughout the last long hours'.
She said his Covid infection had left him with lasting damage to his heart which had led to 'further complications'.
Kate also thanked the medical teams for making his final moments as 'comfortable and dignified as possible.'
Kate has since called in financial experts for help over a £700,000 tax bill from Derek's psychotherapy company.
The huge bill came after she closed her late husband's firm this year - as she admitted she had used some of her pension to clear £800,000 of debt from Derek's medical bills.
Psychotherapy company Astra Aspera Ltd was shut down with £184,096.96 of debt. The closure landed her with a £716,000 tax bill. Another company, Praespero 100 Ltd saw its assets fall by £87,043 in 2022.
Derek suffered one of the worst affected case of Covid in the UK, with the virus attacking every organ in his body
Kate is mother to Darcey 17 and Billy, 14, (pictured) with late husband Derek
She has hired London financial experts Hacker Young to handle HMRC's requests, The Sun reported.
The company's speciality is in dealing with 'tax investigations and litigation support'.
The star also admitted she couldn't afford to have the heating on in October.
She said she was 'ashamed' of being in debt, adding that she had an 'incredible' and 'well-paid' job 'that I love'.
Derek's illness was a factor in Kate's financial woes, with his basic care and mobility support costing £16,000 a month. The Good Morning Britain star liquidated one company she and husband Derek Draper owned in March last year.
Friends have said heartbroken Kate is 'bearing up' after her husband Derek's death - as ITV told the star she could have 'as much time off as she needs'.
A friend of Kate's previously told the Mail: 'She is doing okay, she is bearing up and is being strong for her children.'
Kate twice funded trips to Mexico for extreme courses of therapy to help her husband recover.
Derek died aged 56 on January 3 following a long battle with COVID-19 , and Kate admitted they ensured the day was dedicated to his memory
Kate has since called in financial experts for help over a £700,000 tax bill from Derek's psychotherapy company
Kate told The Sun in March last year: 'Of course it's been tough financially.
'As anyone with a loved one who is seriously ill knows, the costs go through the roof in so many ways.
'You have to make changes to your home and it affects your ability to work.
'I had to take long periods off when Derek was first sick, and of course it affects the overall income for the family as he can no longer work.'
Derek was in and out of hospital after he fell seriously ill with coronavirus at the very start of the pandemic in March 2020, and was left with lasting damage to his organs.
Doctors put him in a medically induced coma and he became the longest-suffering coronavirus patient in the UK after spending 13 months in hospital, apart from Kate and their two children.
However, he was readmitted several times with numerous health issues, including kidney failure, brain inflammation and liver damage.