Kate Garraway showed her support for broadcaster friend Liam Halligan as he geared up for a grueling 300km charity tandem bike ride from London to Paris.
The Epic Charity Challenge
The Good Morning Britain host, 59, posed for photos with Liam and his cycling partner Serge Kogan before their departure from the capital on Friday. The duo aims to complete the 300km journey in just 24 hours to raise funds for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), a condition Liam was diagnosed with in childhood.
Liam shared an update on X, stating: ‘It’s today! London-to-Paris in 24 hours, 300km, on a tandem.’
A Longstanding Friendship
Award-winning journalist Liam Halligan, 56, previously served as economics and business editor at GB News and now contributes a column to The Sunday Telegraph. The single father of three—Maeve, Ailis, and a son—maintains a close bond with Kate, whom he has known for over 20 years. He was also acquainted with her late husband, Derek Draper.
During a recent appearance on Mark Dolan’s Talk TV show, Liam addressed speculation about their relationship. He confirmed: ‘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.’
Liam added: ‘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… Kate and I are good friends, it’s early days, we’ll see what happens.’
Recent Outings and Support
Kate joined Liam in his Essex hometown of Saffron Walden over the weekend, where they were spotted together at The Railway Arms pub during his band’s performance. Locals noted the pair appeared happy and engaged, with plenty of singing and dancing among friends.
A close friend indicates Kate and Liam enjoy each other’s company, sharing laughs within their mutual circle. ‘Liam makes her laugh, he is very funny… It’s lovely to see Kate smiling again,’ the friend shared. They have known each other for two decades and share many common friends.
Kate has visited Liam’s home several times recently, and neighbors expressed excitement after meeting her.
Background on Kate’s Loss
Kate tragically lost Derek Draper, a former political lobbyist and psychotherapist, to a cardiac arrest in January 2024. He had battled severe Covid-19 complications since March 2020. Kate cared for him at their north London home, where she continues to live with their children, Darcey, 20, and Billie, 16.
Recently, Kate described her participation in BBC’s Celebrity Traitors as ‘transformative’ amid her grieving process.
