Kate Garraway cosied up to her broadcaster friend Liam Halligan on Friday after ‘growing close’ as he prepared to take on a huge 300km charity bike ride.
The Good Morning Britain host, 59, tragically lost her husband Derek Draper to complications from Covid-19 in 2024, and has formed a close friendship with Liam, who she has known for 20 years.
He will be taking on the challenge with his cycling partner Serge Kogan as they tandem bike from London to Paris.
Kate smiled for a photo as she showed her support for the duo as they geared up to leave from the capital.
In an update shared to X, Liam wrote: ‘It’s today! London-to-Paris in 24 hours, 300km, on a tandem.’
Liam and Serge are aiming to complete the challenge in 24 hours as they raise money for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) – which Liam was diagnosed with in childhood.
Kate Garraway cosied up to her broadcaster friend Liam Halligan (R) on Friday after ‘growing close’ as he prepared to take on a huge 300km charity bike ride
Award-winning journalist and single father Liam, 56, was previously economics and business editor at GB News and currently writes a column in The Sunday Telegraph.
He is separated from his partner, journalist Lucy Ward. They have a son and two daughters, Maeve and Ailis, who play with him in his band.
While appearing on Mark Dolan’s show on Talk TV on Tuesday morning, Mark asked Liam ‘what is going on’ with the ‘handsome’ economist, who confessed he was ‘good friends’ with Kate and said: ‘It’s early days, we’ll see what happens.’
During his chat, Liam said: ‘I’ve known her for a long time, I knew Derek, I was a political commentator, of course I knew him. 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.’
‘We were reintroduced. Kate and a lot of friends came to see my band The Hooligans play in Saffron Walden, my hometown over the weekend. It turns out some of my neighbours were excited that she was in the pub and posted some pictures.’
He went on: ‘Kate and I are good friends, it’s early days, we’ll see what happens.’
Mark went on to wish them ‘every happiness’ and said he was sure he would ‘plead the fifth’, meaning refuse to give an answer, so was surprised at his candour.
The presenter, 59, tragically lost her husband Derek Draper to complications from Covid-19 in January 2024, and has formed a close friendship with Liam, who she has known for 20 years (pictured with Derek in 2019)
Kate has formed a close relationship with Liam, who she has known for over 20 years. He was also a friend of her late spouse, Derek.
The television presenter recently joined Liam in his hometown of Saffron Walden in Essex. She was seen ‘getting cosy’ with him at The Railway Arms pub – where he was performing with his band, The Hooligans.
It comes after Kate recently appeared on the BBC’s Celebrity Traitors – an experience she described as ‘transformative’ following her husband’s death.
One of her friends told the Daily Mail: ‘Kate has formed a close friendship with Liam and they really enjoy one another’s company.
‘They met through friends. Liam makes her laugh, he is very funny and they’ve been hanging out with their close circle of mates. Kate doesn’t know if it will go anywhere. Maybe it will, maybe it won’t, but it’s complicated.
‘It has been really tough for Kate since Derek died, and she is a mother to two children and they are all still grieving.
‘But they have known one another for 20 years. Liam knew Derek. They have so many friends in common. It’s lovely to see Kate smiling again.’
Liam introduced Kate to his friends at the pub where a source said: ‘Everyone was having a great time, there was a lot of singing and dancing.’
She was also introduced to his neighbours.
The source added: ‘A lot of the neighbours are talking about it after being introduced to Kate. She and Liam looked really into each other and seemed very happy. She has been spotted quite a few times at Liam’s home in recent weeks.’
