Early Mornings and a New Chapter
At 2:45am, while much of the country is asleep, Carol Kirkwood’s day has traditionally begun for nearly three decades. This week, after departing from the BBC, she is ready to leave behind the early alarm, describing it as "well and truly going in the bin."
This departure marks the end of an era not only for Kirkwood but also for millions of viewers who have followed her weather forecasts. Since 2010, she has been the main weather presenter on BBC Breakfast, having initially started her BBC presenting career on the news channel.
Reflecting on a Distinguished Career
Looking back on her 28 years at the BBC, Kirkwood identifies the greatest privilege as presenting the weather on location, where she encountered members of the public who were consistently kind and welcoming.
"You meet members of the public who are always so lovely and kind to me."
While it is difficult for her to single out one standout moment, she highlights reporting from events such as the Wimbledon tennis championships and the Chelsea Flower Show among her career highlights.
"I've reported from so many beautiful places and visited a lot of the country that I might not otherwise have seen,"
Having announced her retirement in February, Kirkwood describes her final days at the BBC as "really surreal and emotional."
During a recent weather report at the Tower of London, she was presented with a special gold poppy, a rare honor that few receive.
"I was so surprised by the kindness they showed me,"
Earlier in the week, she was moved to tears when RHS Garden Wisley renamed its weather station in her honor.
"The thing is you just go to work to do your job - you don't realise how appreciated you are. You don't expect people to come and tell you how good you are because you're just doing your job. It's fabulous but it makes it even harder to leave."
Originally from Morar on Scotland's west coast, Kirkwood says she will miss her colleagues the most.
"I love the weather and I'm fascinated by it but it's undoubtedly the people that make a job and it's so sad saying goodbye to them because I've known so many of them for decades. I know we'll stay in touch but it won't be the same."
On the positive side, without the early alarm, she looks forward to enjoying summer evenings in the garden and attending theatre performances without concerns about sleep deprivation.
A Varied and Accomplished Career
Throughout her career, Kirkwood has also contributed to The One Show and participated in Strictly Come Dancing in 2015, reaching week eight with her partner Pasha Kovalev.
She has been repeatedly recognized as the best TV weather presenter at the TV and Radio Industries Club Awards.
Retirement Motivated by Personal Priorities
In 2023, Kirkwood married police officer Steve Randall. One of her primary reasons for retiring was to spend more time with him.
She had been contemplating retirement for about six months and discussed it regularly with Steve. They kept returning to the question: what are we waiting for?
"I'm not getting any younger, I'm newly married and we've had some losses in our lives recently."
While she did not elaborate on the losses, she explained that they helped her realize:
"I should get on with my retirement and that's what I'm going to do."
She is especially excited about traveling and has already planned trips to France and Italy.
"The freedom of being able to get in the car, drive and go anywhere we want for as long as we want is really appealing,"
She and Steve enjoy walking, and she is mindful of turning 64 in May, emphasizing their desire to travel while fit and healthy.
In addition to travel, Kirkwood is pursuing other interests. Her sixth romance novel is scheduled for release in October, and she plans to write at least two more books afterward. She also expresses a wish to learn the guitar and adopt a couple of cats.
Evolution of Weather Presenting and Personal Reflections
When Kirkwood began forecasting in the 1990s, the role was quite different.
"We had little symbols of a sun and a cloud that would cover a whole area and that would be it,"
She notes that modern technology now includes 3D graphics that move across regions, making forecasts clearer and easier to understand.
She also observes changes in the weather itself over nearly three decades.
"We used to have four definitive seasons and now they are such a muddle because of climate change."
Although she is now synonymous with weather presenting, it was not her childhood dream job.
"Not in a million years did I think I'd be doing this. When I was a child I wrote to Blue Peter producer Biddy Baxter because I wanted to be a presenter on the show as they always looked like they were having such good fun."
Her advice to those aspiring to a similar career is to pursue their dreams and take opportunities.
"Always follow your dreams and put yourself out there. If you followed your dreams and they don't come true then at least you know you would have tried,"
Kirkwood's dreams were realized, and now she is ready to begin her retirement.
"My dream retirement can finally begin."
Final Moments and Farewell
On her last day, Kirkwood was surprised by her husband Steve on the BBC Breakfast sofa, marking an emotional farewell.
She began her BBC career in the late 1990s as a weather presenter, establishing herself as a familiar face over the years.
