BBC Breakfast weather presenter Carol Kirkwood has opened up about her decision to retire after 28 years, saying she and husband Steve Randall want to explore the world together
BBC Breakfast star Carol Kirkwood has opened up about how “old age isn’t guaranteed” following a heartbreaking family bereavement. Carol, who turns 64 next month, stepped down from her 28-year role on the beloved morning programme earlier this month.
She revealed she decided to call time on her career after having a “serious chat” with husband Steve Randall, following his decision to retire from the police force last year. The couple resolved to spend quality time “exploring the world” together.
And while she admits she “loved her job,” it was her devotion to her husband that ultimately prompted her to walk away from Breakfast. The decision was further driven by the passing of Steve’s older sister Jane, who, despite being older than the former officer, was younger than Carol.
When asked whether there was a “lightbulb moment” behind her BBC departure, Carol told the Daily Mail’s Weekend magazine: “Yes, when we lost Steve’s elder sister Jan last year after a short illness.
“She was older than him but younger than me. It made us realise that old age isn’t guaranteed.”
Carol went on to say: “We weren’t getting any younger, either of us, and especially me. There were so many things we wanted to do, mostly travel. So, best to get on with it.”
While Carol confesses she will miss “the people” at the BBC – amongst them presenters Sally Nugent, Jon Kay, Charlie Stayt and Naga Munchetty – she says she certainly won’t miss setting her alarm for 2.45am after heading to bed at 7pm.
She quipped that her alarm clock went “straight in the bin” on April 2 after she retired. Though Carol concedes that she still finds herself waking at 2am, only now she can “turn over and go back to sleep”.
She nevertheless acknowledges that “the time was right” to step down from the BBC, emphasising that the decision was “mine alone”. She believes it will be a “new chapter” in her life with Steve, whom she wed in 2023.
Carol reveals that the couple intend to visit Italy as their first destination before heading to the Caribbean, having previously explored the region on a cruise last year. While Carol relished waking up in Barbados one day and St Lucia the next, she admits she would love to discover more of the area.
Carol, who announced her departure from the BBC in January, was inundated with warm wishes from colleagues, viewers and celebrities alike when she presented her final broadcast.
In a touching farewell, she told audiences she was going to spend “a bit more time with Steve, and perhaps the luxury of watching the weather instead of presenting it”.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was amongst those to pay tribute to Carol. He said: “You’ve been a staple every morning for us in relation to the weather, with your professionalism, your warmth, and that sunny disposition you have.”
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