Kate Garraway was left stunned after she was told she could "get out" of her relationship with husband Derek Draper as it "wasn't what she signed up for".
The Good Morning Britain presenter, 53, said that she believes that the person "meant it weirdly kindly" but was left shocked by the suggestion.
Derek, also 53, has spent the last 12 months in hospital after contracting coronavirus in March 2020 and was put in an induced coma and has been described as having the worst Covid infection of any living patient.
While he shocked doctors when he uttered his first word in October, which was heartbreakingly the word "pain", he has a way to go yet before he is able to return home.
In an ITV documentary airing tonight, Kate documents her difficult year with Derek and opens up about what is next for him.
But she also opens up about her conversation she had that left her stunned.
"Somebody said to me the other day, 'You are allowed to say 'this isn't what I signed up for' and get out'," she says. "And I was like, 'Oh my god.' I mean, I know they meant it weirdly kindly, as if almost giving me license. But I said, 'I can't think that! He's in there!'"
Kate is currently converting the downstairs of their house to make it wheelchair accessible for Derek when he returns home.
She says: "The only thing that panics me is that we are on such a rollercoaster with Derek, that I was sort of looking around doing all this chaos and then the next week there'll be a phone call to say something's gone backwards so you sort of think gosh, am I just fooling myself, I suppose."
Speaking to son Bill, 11, she adds: "Well you know that we're hoping aren't we that dad will get better and better, but when he comes home, he will probably need to be in a wheelchair. So we're trying to make it so that he can do all this.
“And if I have to give up work to care for him, then it's best to do it now, while I'm earning money. If he needs 24 hour care. I will be the primary carer. I have a fear of the reality of that life.
"It's a completely different dynamic to our relationship.
*Kate Garraway: Finding Derek airs tonight at 9pm on ITV
