BBC weather legend Carol Kirkwood has confirmed exactly when viewers will see her for the last time on BBC Breakfast after more than a quarter of a century with the broadcaster.
The beloved presenter, 63, first revealed in January that she would be stepping away from the early morning programme in an emotional on-air announcement that left both viewers and her co-stars visibly moved.
Now, speaking live on BBC Breakfast, Carol has confirmed that her final appearance will take place on April 1 — and she insisted the timing is no joke.
“My last shift on air will be on April 1, and it’s not an April Fools!” she told viewers with a laugh. “I can’t believe it’s coming around so quickly.”
The veteran forecaster also joked about the final stretch of early mornings she still has ahead of her before saying goodbye.
“First thing I’ll do is throw my alarm in the bin,” she quipped, referring to the famously punishing wake-up calls that come with hosting the morning weather.
Despite the light-hearted tone, Carol admitted that leaving after so many years will bring mixed emotions.
“Oh it’s going to be sad,” she said. “It’s a really happy thing as well, but I’m going to miss you guys and everyone — I’m furious as well.”
Her departure was first revealed in January when she struggled to hold back tears while sharing the news alongside BBC Breakfast hosts Sally Nugent and Jon Kay.
The Met Office-trained presenter admitted the decision had been incredibly difficult, explaining that she still adored the job she had done for decades.
“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 said at the time.
But Carol also revealed that her personal life had ultimately tipped the balance.
“We only got married a couple of years ago and we’re ships that pass in the night, so I’m so looking forward to doing that,” she explained about spending more time with her husband, police officer Steve Randall.
In fact, she made her priorities crystal clear in a heartfelt moment that resonated with viewers.
“I love my job, I’ve loved working at the BBC, but I love my husband more than my job.”
Her announcement triggered an emotional reaction in the studio. Sally Nugent reached out to hold Carol’s hand while Jon Kay grabbed tissues before the pair wrapped their colleague in a warm hug.
Trying to lighten the mood, Sally joked that there was one major benefit to retirement from the dawn broadcasts.
“There’s one important thing we haven’t mentioned — you’re going to get a lie-in.”
Carol’s long BBC career has taken her far beyond simply presenting forecasts.
Since joining the BBC Weather Centre in 1998, she has become one of the most recognisable faces on British television, regularly delivering weather reports from major events including Wimbledon, the Chelsea Flower Show and Royal Ascot.
Her cheerful personality has also led to plenty of memorable live television moments — from being knocked over by energetic dogs during outdoor segments to accidentally referring to dog-walkers in Greenwich Park as “doggers”, a slip that quickly became legendary among viewers.
Carol originally joined the BBC as a production secretary on BBC Breakfast before eventually retraining as a meteorologist after a stint working in consultancy.
She later auditioned for The Weather Channel in the United States before returning to the BBC and completing professional training with the corporation and the Met Office.
Over the years her warmth and humour earned her widespread public affection, as well as a place on Strictly Come Dancing in 2015, where she danced with Pasha Kovalev and made it to week eight.
Away from television, Carol has experienced major changes in her personal life. She divorced her first husband, property developer Jimmy Kirkwood, in 2008 after nearly two decades of marriage.
The split was emotionally difficult, with Carol later admitting she sometimes found herself crying between delivering forecasts.
But she has since spoken about how the experience changed her outlook on life.
“I found myself when I got divorced,” she once said. “I started to do things and to think, ‘I’m not going to say no, I’m going to say yes.’”
In December 2023 she married Steve Randall at Cliveden House in Buckinghamshire, and the couple now live together in Windsor.
Speaking previously about her husband, Carol couldn’t hide her affection.
“If he’s at home, I’m happy. I don’t need anything else,” she said. “He’s tall, handsome, kind, gentle, strong, funny, charming. He’s a gentleman. He’s good at cooking. I could wax lyrical about Steve forever.”
In a written statement confirming her departure, Carol described the decision to leave as deeply emotional but ultimately the right moment.
“It’s been an absolute privilege to bring you the weather every day,” she said. “My job is something I’ve never taken for granted and I’ve loved every minute.”
She added: “This hasn’t been an easy decision to make, but it feels like the right moment to step away. I’ll carry with me the most wonderful memories.”
BBC News’ interim chief executive Jonathan Munro also paid tribute to the presenter’s long career.
“Carol’s contribution to BBC News and BBC Weather has been exceptional,” he said. “From major national moments to the everyday forecasts that are such an important part of our audiences’ lives, she has set the gold standard for our journalism.”
