ITV presenter Kate Garraway has issued a stark warning about the dangers of artificial intelligence after becoming the victim of an online hoax involving fabricated images of a 'new partner'.
The 'hurtful' impact of fabricated rumours
The Good Morning Britain star, whose husband Derek Draper died in January 2024 after a long health battle with Covid complications, revealed that fake AI-generated pictures and stories had caused significant distress. While she initially tried to laugh off the false reports, she said the situation quickly became 'very confusing - and in some cases - hurtful for the kids'.
In a candid post on Instagram, the 58-year-old explained that for months, even people close to her had been asking about the entirely fictitious content circulating online. The imagined match-ups reportedly involved her co-stars and friends, including fellow presenters Richard Arnold and Ben Shephard.
A turning point for the grieving family
Writing in The Sun, Kate detailed the moment her concern turned to anger. She described being 'flabbergasted and intrigued' after a headline suggested by an algorithm claimed to reveal 'Everything you need to know about Kate Garraway's new boyfriend'.
However, one specific claim stopped her cold. The fabricated story alleged that her 16-year-old son was unhappy and wanted his mother to end her non-existent relationship. Kate was furious, stating her teenage son already had enough to cope with following his father's death, and insisted he was 'the opposite of that' obstructive portrayal.
'The turning point for me was when I became aware of the impact it might have on my children and Derek's family, too,' she wrote, highlighting how the false narrative threatened to distort the memory of her late husband and cause unnecessary family tension.
A warning on trust and the erosion of truth
Garraway's experience has led her to a sobering conclusion about the societal threat posed by advanced AI. 'When everything can be faked, proof starts to lose its meaning,' she cautioned, adding that once public trust is eroded, it becomes 'extremely hard to get it back'.
While grateful for 'proper 'human' journalists', she urged the public to be vigilant about their news sources. 'In this case it only affects me really and is fundamentally silly and daft but imagine if it was something more important the damage it could do?' she questioned her Instagram followers.
The incident, which occurred nearly two years after Derek Draper's passing, underscores the personal fallout from malicious online content and the urgent need for greater awareness about digitally manipulated media.
