KATE Garraway has been forced to endure sickening abuse in backlash over her new romance.

The Good Morning Britain host is said to be heartbroken over the attack by cruel online trolls after ‘hard-launching’ her relationship with Liam Halligan.

Widow Kate, 59, lost her husband Derek Draper in January 2024 after a four-year battle with covid.

Earlier this year, Kate began dating economic journalist Liam, 57, who she’s known for more than 20 years.

Kate shared a cosy selfie with Liam at a mutual pal’s birthday party over the weekend.

Ever since, broadcaster Kate has been tormented with vicious, abusive and often sexist messages on social media about her and Liam dating.

An insider told The Sun: “It’s been extremely upsetting.

“The messages are deliberately written to provoke reaction and cause distress.

“Kate deserves happiness after everything she’s been through. It’s sad there are some people who are bitter and twisted enough to try to ruin that.”

Liam – who was also a friend of Kate‘s late husband Derek – opened up about his budding relationship with the much-loved TV star.

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It came in an article he wrote for The Spectator, which had the headline, “The truth about Kate Garraway and me”.

In the piece, the journalist penned: “As a sandwich-board man of the business pages, I’m ‘flabbergasted’ to be in the showbiz sections.

“Nobody wanted to know about my warnings of market meltdown but reporters now follow me around, asking, ‘How’s it going with Kate?’

“Kate Garraway and I are from different parts of the media but have much in common – not least a shared sense of humour.

“Though it’s early days, there’s a definite spark between us. But can she ride a tandem?”

Meanwhile Kate previously revealed she was ready to have romance in her life again, telling The Sun: “I wouldn’t like to think that I’d never had romantic love in my life again.

“I think that would be rather a sad way to go through life, wouldn’t it? But, no, I’m not there yet. I don’t know if anybody would want me.”

Kate and Derek wed in September 2005 after being introduced by ex-GMTV political editor Gloria De Piero.

In March 2020, Derek was rushed to hospital in a critical condition after catching covid in the first wave of the deadly pandemic.

He was placed in an induced coma after contracting the virus and was placed on a ventilator.

Derek later became the nation’s longest suffering Covid patient after spending 13 months in hospital.

Sadly, he never made a full recovery – despite Kate’s desperate attempts to get him on a medical trial in Mexico.

Kate fronted two acclaimed ITV documentaries about her husband, who she has two children with.

He died in January 2024 after suffering a massive heart attack.

Kate said at the time: “I’m sad to have to tell you all that my darling husband Derek has passed away.

“Derek was surrounded by his family in his final days and I was by his side holding his hand throughout the last long hours and when he passed.

“Rest gently and peacefully now Derek, my love, I was so lucky to have you in my life.”

The Sun has reached out to Kate’s rep for comment.