Carol Kirkwood Announces BBC Breakfast Departure After 25 Years
BBC Breakfast viewers were met with surprising news this morning as veteran weather presenter Carol Kirkwood announced her departure from the morning show after an impressive 25-year tenure. The 63-year-old broadcasting icon, who first joined the BBC in 1998, has become a household name through her reliable forecasts and warm on-screen presence.
Speaking during today's broadcast, Kirkwood described her decision to leave as "not an easy one to make." In an emotional statement, she reflected on her career, saying: "It's been an absolute privilege to bring you the weather every day. My job is something I've never taken for granted and I've loved every minute!"
She extended heartfelt thanks to her colleagues across BBC Breakfast, BBC Weather, and various programmes, acknowledging their support and friendship as invaluable. Kirkwood concluded by expressing gratitude to viewers for their kindness over the years, stating that "it feels like the right moment to step away."
Personal Storms: A 'Devastating' Divorce and Private Tears
While Kirkwood has been a reassuring presence on television screens for decades, her personal life has weathered significant challenges away from the cameras. The presenter was previously married to property developer Jimmy Kirkwood, but the couple divorced in 2008 following what she described as a "devastating" separation.
Speaking candidly on Kaye Adams' podcast How to Be 60 two years ago, Kirkwood admitted she hadn't anticipated the marriage breakdown. "I didn't expect that to happen and it was shocking," she revealed. "It was pretty devastating at the time, but it led to better things after that."
The television presenter disclosed that she would often retreat to the Ladies' room after broadcasts to "have a good cry" during the divorce proceedings. "I'd still have to be smiling Carol on-screen," she explained about maintaining her professional composure. "I'd come off-air - we broadcast from the Blue Peter gardens in those days - go to the Ladies, have a good cry, and then reapply my eye make-up before stepping in front of the cameras again."
Kirkwood noted that compartmentalising her grief actually aided her healing process, preventing her from becoming "a puddle of tears" while maintaining her professional responsibilities.
Unfulfilled Family Dreams and Finding Peace
Beyond her marital challenges, Kirkwood has spoken openly about another personal heartbreak: her unfulfilled dream of having children. The broadcaster recently revealed that she explored fertility treatment options but found them financially prohibitive.
"I always wanted to have children. That was my dream," she told The Mirror last year. "It was a source of heartbreak, but we tried and failed."
Despite this disappointment, Kirkwood has found familial joy through her relationships with 15 nieces and nephews and numerous godchildren. "I love them all incredibly," she affirmed, demonstrating how she has cultivated meaningful connections beyond traditional parenthood.
Unexpected Late-Life Romance and Wedding Bliss
Fourteen years after her divorce, Kirkwood found love in an unexpected place. In 2022, she announced her engagement to a mystery man after just one year of dating, later revealed to be police officer Steve Randall, then 49. The couple married in December 2023 at Taplow in Buckinghamshire.
Kirkwood explained that their relationship began as friendship before developing romantically. "That was nice because it just kind of happened," she told Closer magazine. "Who'd have thought that at this ripe old age, I'd be getting married again? I certainly didn't."
Describing their wedding at Cliveden House, Kirkwood recalled it as "the most perfect day" despite Storm Gerrit raging outside. "We didn't even notice," she said. "It was about us getting married rather than having a big, fancy wedding. We had no guests and wrote our own vows, which was really emotional. When you are older, you know more what you want."
In what appeared to be a subtle comparison between her marriages, Kirkwood later told The Times: "Love is lovelier the second time around. No disrespect to my first husband, but this is better."
Future Plans with Husband Steve
With her BBC departure imminent, Kirkwood looks forward to spending more quality time with her husband. The couple currently manage just ninety minutes together daily during weekdays. "We don't see a lot of each other during the week," she admitted to The Mirror last year. "We worked out that Monday to Thursday we only see each other for an hour-and-a-half a day, so we treasure the time that we have together. It's really precious."
Kirkwood has revealed plans to travel Europe with Steve following her retirement from broadcasting. The couple fell in love with Majorca while researching her fifth novel, Meet Me at Sunset, and now envision extended travels. "Steve and I also plan to escape and travel for some time when we retire, perhaps in a year or two," she shared. "We'll either travel in a camper van, or get in the car, cross over to France and just drive."
As Carol Kirkwood prepares to leave her BBC Breakfast role after a quarter-century, she embarks on a new chapter filled with personal fulfilment, travel adventures, and the late-life romance that has brought her unexpected joy.
