Former BBC Breakfast weather presenter Carol Kirkwood has opened up about how retirement has transformed her health and wellbeing, saying she is "living the dream" just months after leaving the BBC.
Retirement Brings Freedom and Health Focus
The 64-year-old Scots presenter stepped down from her role in April after 28 years as one of the broadcaster's most well-known weather presenters. While she admits she misses her colleagues, she says having more freedom has allowed her to focus on living a healthier, happier life.
"I'm living the dream, I'm loving it," Carol said. "I miss my job to a point, but I have so much freedom now, and I'm living to my timetable and my schedule rather than anybody else's - that's liberating."
Health Assessments Prompted by Loss
As she settles into retirement with husband Steve Randall, the couple decided to have Bupa comprehensive health assessments to ensure they could make the most of the years ahead. Carol revealed the decision came after losing several friends and family members to cancer. Speaking to the Press Association, she said: "We've lost a lot of people - life is short. I want to try and prolong my life as long as I can and live healthy and happily ever after, as the old saying goes."
"I'm 64 now, and I want to enjoy my life, and I really do believe the best is yet to come."
Surprising Fitness Results
The TV favourite was relieved when her physical, blood and heart tests all came back normal. But she admitted one result came as a surprise. "One thing it highlighted that I was quite surprised about was my fitness level," she explained. "I walk a lot - and I don't just saunter, I march when I walk - and I'm doing the Couch to 5k again, and I've started doing weight training again, so I thought, 'I'm going to be fit'."
Carol added: "Well, I was average fitness, but only just. And so that's given me something to work on. I want it to be better than average. I want to be strong."
New Exercise Routine and Diet Changes
Following the assessment, Carol has added strength exercises such as lunges and squats to her routine after learning how important they can be for maintaining muscle and preventing falls later in life. "So, guess what? Now I'm doing lunges, which I hate, and squats, which I hate even more," she joked. "I'm doing them because it's all for my own benefit – I want to live a long, healthy life, so I'm doing all I can to make that happen. Prevention is better than the cure, and I'm not displaying any symptoms of anything that I'm aware of at the moment."
The presenter has also become more mindful about her diet, admitting she's trying to cut back on her beloved chocolate, while continuing to follow a Mediterranean-style diet with plenty of home-cooked meals.
Travel Plans and Future Outlook
Carol explained that retirement isn't just about slowing down, it's about making the most of her good health while she can. At the time of retirement, Carol revealed that she and Steve had planned to go travelling together and the couple have already ticked America, for an Eagles concert, and Italy off their list. And that's just the start of their travelling - Nashville, Graceland, New Orleans, the Taj Mahal and India's Golden Triangle, and a return to Australia are all on their travel bucket list.
Speaking about the future she said: "I really do believe the best is yet to come."
