BBC weather presenter Carol Kirkwood has revealed her plans to retire and travel around Europe with her husband, Steve Randall. The 63-year-old, who has been a fixture on BBC Breakfast for 27 years, announced her departure from the show in April, saying she wants to spend more time with her spouse.
Kirkwood hinted at her retirement plans last summer, confessing that she and Randall were planning to 'head off into the sunset'. She said: 'Steve and I also plan to escape and travel for some time when we retire, perhaps in a year or two. We'll either travel in a camper van, or get in the car, cross over to France and just drive.'
The couple, who married in 2023 at Cliveden House, have discussed their future travels extensively. Kirkwood noted that the only decision left is whether to use a camper van or a car. She added that she fell in love with Majorca while researching her fifth novel, 'Meet Me at Sunset'.
Kirkwood, who is 13 years older than her husband, a policeman, said the age gap does not bother her. She told Saga Magazine: 'Other people's opinions about an age gap don't matter – I don't feel he is younger than me.' The couple met at a function neither wanted to attend, which Kirkwood described as a 'Sliding Doors moment'.
Announcing her exit on BBC Breakfast, Kirkwood told presenters Jon Kay and Sally Nugent: 'I didn't want to get emotional, but you two are my friends, and I love you dearly. I want to spend more time with my gorgeous husband Steve. We're ships that pass in the night, so I'm really looking forward to doing that.' She added: 'I've loved my job, I've loved working at the BBC, but I love my husband more than my job.'
