Kate Garraway backs Liam Halligan amid growing friendship reports

Kate Garraway looked smitten and close with her broadcaster friend Liam Halligan on Friday as he prepared to take on a huge 300km charity bike ride. 

Back in 2024, The Good Morning host, 59, lost her soulmate Derek Draper due to Covid-19 and later formed a close bond with Liam, who she has known for two decades. 

He will be taking on the challenge with his cycling partner Serge Kogan as they tandem bike from London to Paris. Kate posed happily in the photo as extended 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. 

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.'

It comes after Kate recently appeared on the BBC's Celebrity Traitors – an experience she described as 'transformative' following her husband's death.