Associated Incidents
Kate Garraway said fake AI-generated images of her and a fictitious 'new partner' had been 'hurtful' for her children.
The Good Morning Britain star lost her 'darling' husband Derek Draper in January 2024, following a long health battle caused by Covid complications.
Now, two years on from his death, the ITV presenter has been the victim of an online hoax, the Mirror reports.
The 58-year-old said she initially 'laughed off' the the fake images but quickly realised how the false rumours were impacting her and Derek's two kids.
Kate took to Instagram to address the rumours and said: "For months now people (even those who know me really well) have been asking me about stuff out there that is totally fake.
"On one level it's really sweet that people care about my life but very confusing - and in some cases - hurtful for the kids when it's fake news."
She further touched on the subject in an article for The Sun, explaining the imagined match-ups were co-stars and friends, including Richard Arnold or Ben Shephard.
Kate wrote in the publication "we laughed it off".
However, she added: "The turning point for me was when I became aware of the impact it might have on my children and Derek's family, too.
"A headline popped up, sent to me by an algorithm I assume, saying: 'Everything you need to know about Kate Garraway's new boyfriend'."
She said she was "flabbergasted and intrigued" to find out more about the new man in her life - who didn't actually exist - but said one detail "stopped me cold".
Kate was left fuming over claims her son was not happy and wanted his mum to end her 'relationship'.
The TV favourite said the 16-year-old already had enough to deal with without reports claiming he was being obstructive of his mum's happiness, insisting he was "the opposite of that".
"When everything can be faked, proof starts to lose its meaning," she said, adding that once trust was eroded, it was 'extremely hard to get it back'.
She previously told Instagram followers: "Thank goodness we still have some proper 'human' journalists out there, but this is something all of us need to think about when getting our 'news' on the net - that it's a trusted source.
"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?"