DIY Style

Kate Garraway ‘set to become the new Nick Knowles as she will host DIY SOS-style show on ITV’

Kate Garraway ‘set to become the new Nick Knowles as she will host DIY SOS-style show on ITV that follows people changing their homes’

  • The TV presenter, 54, will draw on her experiences caring for husband Derek Draper at home as he battled coronavirus for the show
  • According to The Sun, the series will see a team of experts arrive at people’s homes and help them deal with a major change in their lives 
  • Kate spent thousands in order to adapt her home for Derek’s return after he spent a year in hospital with Covid-19
  • She changed the ground floor to fit his hospital bed and had a wet room and wheelchair lift installed










Kate Garraway is reportedly set to become the next Nick Knowles as she is slated to host a new show called Life Changing Homes.

The TV presenter, 54, will draw on her experiences caring for husband Derek Draper at home as he battled coronavirus for the show.

According to The Sun, the series will see a team of experts arrive at people’s homes and help them deal with a major change in their lives. 

New gig: Kate Garraway is reportedly set to become the next Nick Knowles as she is slated to host a new show called Life Changing Homes

New gig: Kate Garraway is reportedly set to become the next Nick Knowles as she is slated to host a new show called Life Changing Homes

An ITV insider said: ‘Kate is the perfect person to front a show like this given that she knows all about adapting to looking after someone since hubby Derek returned from hospital. 

‘Although she’s a very different character to Nick, she’s hugely popular with viewers who see her as a down to earth figure. She really connects with the public because, like many people, she has gone through a rough time since the pandemic started. At this stage the show is just a pilot, which was filmed this autumn.

‘But ITV have high hopes it will become a new series in the new year. They’re keen to provide a platform for Kate as her profile has soared.’ 

MailOnline has contacted ITV and representatives for Kate Garraway for comment.

Premise: According to The Sun, the series will see a team of experts arrive at people's homes and help them deal with a major change in their lives, similar to Nick's DIY SOS

Premise: According to The Sun, the series will see a team of experts arrive at people’s homes and help them deal with a major change in their lives, similar to Nick’s DIY SOS

Kate, who shares Darcey, 15, and William, 12, with Derek, spent thousands in order to adapt her home for his return after he spent a year in hospital with Covid-19. 

She changed the ground floor to fit his hospital bed and had a wet room and wheelchair lift installed.

Derek had been allowed home for Christmas after spending more than a year in medical care in what the presenter poignantly called ‘the greatest gift’ she could receive. 

The family recently enjoyed a trip to watch Cinderella at Richmond Theatre in West London, the first time Derek had been seen outside since contracting Covid in March 2020.

An ITV insider said: 'Kate is the perfect person to front a show like this given that she knows all about adapting to looking after someone since hubby Derek returned from hospital'

An ITV insider said: ‘Kate is the perfect person to front a show like this given that she knows all about adapting to looking after someone since hubby Derek returned from hospital’

He was so severely ill he was placed in a medically induced coma for several months, and continues to have ‘extraordinary problems with communication, mobility is very limited, massive problems with fatigue and sometimes it’s like he’s not present with you,’ according to Kate.

The journalist recently described his slow but positive progress on ITV’s Good Morning Britain.

Speaking of how she was heartened by signs of his recovery, she said: ‘We were playing a silly game, one of those moral question games…and they asked “Who is likely to find money on the floor and keep it?” and everyone in the room said all at the same time “Darcey,” and he started to laugh.

Family: Kate spent thousands in order to adapt her home for Derek's return after he spent a year in hospital with Covid-19 (pictured on ITV's Finding Derek)

Family: Kate spent thousands in order to adapt her home for Derek’s return after he spent a year in hospital with Covid-19 (pictured on ITV’s Finding Derek)

Relationship: Derek had been allowed home for Christmas after spending more than a year in medical care in what the presenter poignantly called ¿the greatest gift¿ she could receive

Relationship: Derek had been allowed home for Christmas after spending more than a year in medical care in what the presenter poignantly called ‘the greatest gift’ she could receive

‘And honestly, it was just the most lovely moment because you thought he does get it, he does understand. And he’s right! Because she is the most likely!’

Kate delivered a touching message about love when she appeared on ITV’s Royal Carols: Together At Christmas on Friday.

She read the poem Love Came Down At Christmas by Christina Rossetti in front of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the concert, which had been recorded at Westminster Abbey on December 9.

Heartbreaking: Derek was so severely ill he was placed in a medically induced coma for several months (pictured together in 2007)

Heartbreaking: Derek was so severely ill he was placed in a medically induced coma for several months (pictured together in 2007)

Advertisement