Carol Kirkwood has announced she is leaving the BBC after almost 30 years, but being the face of BBC Breakfast’s weather wasn’t always her dream job

Carol Kirkwood has announced she is leaving BBC Breakfast (Image: BBC )
Carol Kirkwood has shared the truth behind her BBC Breakfast career as it was announced she is leaving the Beeb.

The Scottish weather presenter has been with the corporation for almost 30 years. Carol, who joined the BBC in 1998, will leave in April this year and said it was an “absolute privilege” to bring millions of viewers the weather every day.

But according to Carol, it was not her “game plan” to be the face of BBC Weather. Gaby Roslin asked her fellow presenter on her Reasons To Be Joyful podcast: “It wasn’t part of your game plan to be an author and the face of BBC Weather. None of that was your game plan, was it?”

Carol, 63, responded that there was another BBC programme she set her sights on presenting when she was a youngster.

She replied: “Not at all. I wanted to be a Blue Peter presenter because it looked so much fun.

Carol Kirkwood announced she is leaving BBC Breakfast this morning (Image: BBC )

“But it wasn’t to be but ironically I did spent 12 years in the Blue Peter garden and as you say I got into television presenting. Things happen by accident. I was in the right place at the right time.”

Carol broke the news of her departure after her regular morning forecast today (Tuesday, January 27). She said she was looking forward to spending more time with her husband Steve Randall and going travelling.

She worked for The Weather Channel before joining BBC News as a weather presenter in April 1998. She has been the main weather presenter on BBC Breakfast since 2010.

As well as her regular weather presenting duties she often presented on location, including from Wimbledon, the Chelsea Flower Show and various royal events.

Carol also competed on Strictly Come Dancing in 2015, where she finished 10th, partnered with Pasha Kovalev.

Carol Kirkwood presents the weather from locations including Wimbledon (Image: Evening Standard via Getty Images)

Speaking to presenters Jon Kay and Sally Nugent, she said: “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 only got married a couple of years ago and we’ve ships that pass in the night, so I’m really looking forward to doing that. We want to travel as well.

“I’ve loved my job, I’ve loved working at the BBC, but I love my husband more than my job.”

Asked about an end to early-morning wake up calls, Carol quipped: “What is a lie in? I have no idea. Alarm clocks will be a thing of the past.

“This hasn’t been an easy decision to make, but it feels like the right moment to step away,” she said. “I’ll carry with me the most wonderful memories.”

Steve is Carol’s second husband after she separated from first husband, property developer Jimmy Kirkwood, in 2008.