BBC weather presenter Carol Kirkwood has announced she will step down from the broadcaster in April after more than a quarter of a century, saying she wants to spend more time with her husband.
The 63-year-old, who married Steve Randall at the end of 2023, told BBC Breakfast viewers that the couple are “ships that pass in the night” and she is looking forward to travelling together.
Kirkwood made the announcement on Monday morning immediately after delivering her forecast, joining presenters Sally Nugent and Jon Kay on the sofa.
Fighting back tears, she said: “So, I’m going to be leaving – and it’s really hard, really hard for me to say this because I love my job.”
She added with a touch of humour: “But it’s great – I don’t want to be coming in in my Zimmer frame and saying, ‘I can’t reach the Northern Isles anymore!'”
The Scottish-born presenter, who hails from Morar in the Highlands, struggled to contain her emotions as she addressed her colleagues. Sally Nugent held her hand while Jon Kay reached for tissues before both embraced her.
In a written statement, Kirkwood said the decision to leave “hasn’t been an easy” but that it “feels like the right moment to step away.”
She thanked colleagues at BBC Breakfast, BBC Weather and across the corporation for their support and friendship, adding: “To those watching and listening at home – thank you for all the kindness you have shown me over the years, being part of your mornings has been a joy.”
Kirkwood began her BBC career as a production secretary and production assistant before training at The Weather Channel’s UK operation and the Met Office. She joined the BBC Weather Centre in 1998 and became a familiar face on the six o’clock news and BBC Breakfast, where she has been the main weather presenter for years.
Her role has taken her beyond the studio to locations including Wimbledon, the Chelsea Flower Show and Royal Ascot. She has been honoured multiple times by the Television and Radio Industries Club as best TV weather presenter.
Kirkwood will leave the BBC in April.
