Carol Kirkwood has admitted that she feels "a sense of clearing" after quitting BBC Breakfast, embracing the opportunity to spend more time with her husband following 25 years on air. The meteorologist, 63, stepped down from her long-running role as a weather presenter on the early morning programme in April and has now discussed how she is adjusting to life off-screen.
Throwing Away the Alarm Clock
After a quarter of a century of enduring incredibly early starts, the TV star promptly discarded her alarm clock to adapt to new waking hours. She said: "I had to set my alarm at 2:45am and that’s not a natural time to get up, even if you’ve gone to bed at seven o’clock the previous evening. For years now, I’ve suffered from a low-grade version of jet lag. My last forecast was on April 1; on April 2, I threw my alarm clock into the bin."
Spending More Time with Husband
The former Strictly Come Dancing star, who married policeman Steve Randall, 50, in 2023, candidly admitted that her decision to step back from her career was driven by a desire to prioritise her marriage. Speaking to The Telegraph, she added: "But look, I’m not really complaining. I’m not a nurse on a cancer ward. I’m not a first responder who has to run into a fire rather than away from it. I’ve loved my job but I love my husband more, and now I want us to be more than ships that pass in the night."
The Best Thing About Leaving
When asked to name the "best thing" about leaving work, she said: "The sense of clearing my head and realising that now I can do what I want when I want – like sitting in the garden in the evening sunshine and reading a book with a glass of wine."
Emotional Farewell
Carol announced her decision to step down earlier this year, becoming visibly emotional while discussing it with Jon Kay and Sally Nugent. She said: "I am going to be leaving. It’s really, really hard for me to say this. I love my job. I love all of you guys, my weather colleagues, every department I work with, and, of course, all the viewers I've been so engaged with for many years. But it's great. I don't want to be coming in with my Zimmer frame when I can't reach the northern Isles anymore."
She added: "I'm going to be spending more time with Steve, my gorgeous husband, we have been married a couple of years ago but we are like ships passing in the night, so I'm so looking forward to doing that. I've still got my books, you know, I've got a few other bits and pieces. I want to travel. We want to travel as well."
As her voice began to break, she added: "I didn't want to get emotional, but you two are my friends, and I love you dearly so I am sorry I did."
