KATE Garraway has been forced to endure sickening abuse in backlash over her new romance.
The Good Morning Britain host is said to be heartbroken over the attack by cruel online trolls after âhard-launchingâ her relationship with Liam Halligan.
Widow Kate, 59, lost her husband Derek Draper in January 2024 after a four-year battle with covid.
Earlier this year, Kate began dating economic journalist Liam, 57, who sheâs known for more than 20 years.
An insider told The Sun: âItâs been extremely upsetting.
âThe messages are deliberately written to provoke reaction and cause distress.
âKate deserves happiness after everything sheâs been through. Itâs sad there are some people who are bitter and twisted enough to try to ruin that.â
Liam â who was also a friend of Kateâs late husband Derek â opened up about his budding relationship with the much-loved TV star.
It came in an article he wrote for The Spectator, which had the headline, âThe truth about Kate Garraway and meâ.
In the piece, the journalist penned: âAs a sandwich-board man of the business pages, Iâm âflabbergastedâ to be in the showbiz sections.
âNobody wanted to know about my warnings of market meltdown but reporters now follow me around, asking, âHowâs it going with Kate?â
âKate Garraway and I are from different parts of the media but have much in common â not least a shared sense of humour.
âThough itâs early days, thereâs a definite spark between us. But can she ride a tandem?â
Meanwhile Kate previously revealed she was ready to have romance in her life again, telling The Sun: âI wouldnât like to think that Iâd never had romantic love in my life again.
âI think that would be rather a sad way to go through life, wouldnât it? But, no, Iâm not there yet. I donât know if anybody would want me.â
Kate and Derek wed in September 2005 after being introduced by ex-GMTV political editor Gloria De Piero.
In March 2020, Derek was rushed to hospital in a critical condition after catching covid in the first wave of the deadly pandemic.
He was placed in an induced coma after contracting the virus and was placed on a ventilator.
Derek later became the nationâs longest suffering Covid patient after spending 13 months in hospital.
Sadly, he never made a full recovery â despite Kateâs desperate attempts to get him on a medical trial in Mexico.
Kate fronted two acclaimed ITV documentaries about her husband, who she has two children with.
He died in January 2024 after suffering a massive heart attack.
Kate said at the time: âIâm sad to have to tell you all that my darling husband Derek has passed away.
âDerek was surrounded by his family in his final days and I was by his side holding his hand throughout the last long hours and when he passed.
âRest gently and peacefully now Derek, my love, I was so lucky to have you in my life.â
The Sun has reached out to Kateâs rep for comment.
