After 28 years on our screens, BBC Breakfast favourite Carol Kirkwood, 63, has revealed the deeply personal reason behind her departure — and it’s heartbreaking.
In a candid interview with the Daily Mail, Carol opened up about the death of her sister-in-law, Jan, which became the “lightbulb moment” prompting her to step away from the morning show she had called home since 1998.
“Yes, when we lost Steve’s elder sister Jan last year after a short illness… it made us realise that old age isn’t guaranteed,” Carol shared. The emotional loss, combined with her desire to spend more time with her husband Steve Randall, motivated her to finally prioritise life outside the studio.
Carol and Steve tied the knot in 2023, following their engagement in 2022, and the newlywed is now excited to explore the “great big, wide world” with her husband while they’re still fit and healthy. “I’ve loved my time at the BBC, I really have, but in the end I love my husband more,” she admitted.
Carol may be back on screens soon (Credit: BBC)
While she’ll miss her colleagues, she won’t miss the 2:45am starts and 7pm bedtimes that left her with what she described as a “permanent, mild form of jet lag.” Her family’s reaction to her quitting? “About time,” she laughed — now they can finally organise things without working around her schedule.
So, does this mean the beloved weathergirl is gone for good? Not necessarily. When asked about her TV future, Carol revealed she hasn’t been approached for The Celebrity Traitors and has never even seen it — but she “would certainly give it some thought” if asked. She’s also dreaming of an adventure on Race Across The World, with herself managing the budget and Steve as her chief logistics scout.
Fans hoping to see her on I’m A Celebrity, Celebrity Big Brother, or Celebrity Bake Off may be disappointed, however. Carol laughed, “I’m not a cook!”
After nearly three decades brightening our mornings, Carol Kirkwood’s story is a touching reminder of how love and family sometimes lead us to make life-changing decisions — and that even TV stars must follow the heart.
