'Shocked' Kate Garraway suffers setback over late husband Derek Draper's debts

Good Morning Britain anchor has been left “shocked” she is still heavily in debt after new paperwork from HMRC showed loan debts of almost £140,000 remain from her late husband’s company as well as a £288,000 tax bill.

A Liquidators' statement of receipts and payments published this week shows Derek’s firm Astra Aspera still has a number of outstanding debts which Kate is under pressure to pay back.

Although royalties of £37,000 have also been paid into the company there remains a loan of £139,849 which needs to be repaid and a £288,000 tax bill to HMRC.

The company has no more assets and HMRC say attempts to recoup the money are ongoing, although it is thought that Kate does not have the money to pay back currently.

She has been making efforts to pay the money back and sources close to her are keen to stress these are debts from Derek’s company and obviously caring for Derek and the loss of his income really hasn’t helped her financial situation.

Derek died in January 2024 at the age of 56 after a lengthy battle with the long-term effects of Covid.

A spokesman for Kate said: “‘Kate has met all that the liquidators of Derek’s company have asked for and more over the past 4 years. She doesn’t recognise these figures and is shocked that’s it’s being presented in this way by them.

"Caring for Derek and supporting her family when Derek could no longer run his own businesses has taken a huge financial toll on her but she’s determined to put things right. She is in constant contact with HMRC to make sure she honours what’s required from Derek’s now defunct company."

Kate has made no secret of the costs of caring for Derek which have hugely affected her financial situation. She has been open with her struggles along the way.

Astra Aspera Ltd which Derek set up in 2021 went into liquidation in March 2022, owing £716,822 to HMRC and £196,548 to four other creditors. Since then Kate has paid some money back but has been unable to clear all the debts.

Speaking before her husband's death, Kate had said in documentary, : Derek's Story: "Derek's care costs more than my salary from ITV and that is before you pay for a mortgage, before you pay any household bills, before you pay for anything for the kids, so we are at a crunch point.

"I am in debt. I can't earn enough money to cover my debt because I am managing Derek's care and I can't even use the money I do have to support Derek's recovery, because it's going on the basics all the time."

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