Katie Hopkins is once again in the crosshairs of social media users who are furious over her recent controversial remarks about Derek Draper’s death and a subsequent swipe at his widow, Kate Garraway. The 48-year-old right-wing media figure, known for her divisive views, ignited outrage on social media by targeting grieving Kate just days after she announced the death of her husband Derek, who battled Covid for almost four years.

Despite being banned from Twitter in 2020 and recently reinstated, Hopkins has drawn widespread criticism for her insensitive comments, prompting many users to report her latest tweets. Derek, a former political lobbyist, suffered severe effects of Covid after contracting the virus in March 2020, coinciding with the UK’s initial lockdown. Kate, a Smooth FM DJ, balanced her broadcasting career with caring for her husband over three years until his tragic passing on January 3 at the age of 56.

While Kate has received overwhelming support for her transparent portrayal of Derek’s struggle through two ITV documentaries, Hopkins opted for a different approach. She took to social media to mock Kate, suggesting that the grieving broadcaster would soon exploit her husband’s death for work opportunities, sparking controversy and condemnation.

Despite some social media users engaging with and endorsing Hopkins’ content, a considerable number have reported her to Twitter, expressing their disdain for the tasteless remarks. Users have urged others to take action against Hopkins, emphasising the need to report and condemn such behaviour. However, there is scepticism about Twitter’s effectiveness in reprimanding Hopkins, with some attributing the platform’s tolerance of hateful content to Elon Musk’s management.

In a video post that offended many, Hopkins callously imitated Kate while drinking red wine, insinuating that ITV would offer her a TV special and book deal to discuss Derek’s passing. The former Apprentice candidate faced backlash on TikTok and Twitter, with users denouncing her for targeting a grieving widow. Unapologetic, Hopkins responded to critics, deflecting accusations and making sarcastic remarks.

The initial tasteless post by Hopkins has garnered widespread condemnation on social media, with users describing it as reflective of the emptiness of her soul and questioning the humanity of finding amusement in someone’s tragic loss. Kate officially announced Derek’s death on January 5 in an Instagram post, expressing gratitude to medical teams and supporters while mourning the loss of her beloved husband.