Her colleagues, fans and even the Prime Minister have flooded Carol Kirkwood with well wishes as she delivered her final weather forecast after almost three decades as BBC Breakfast’s resident weather correspondent.
‘You have changed the way that weather is reported in television,’ newsreader Sally Nugent said as Carol joined her and Jon Kay on the sofa to commemorate her final day.
During the breakfast show, Carol was presented with a weather-themed cake and ‘Little Miss Sunshine’ poster by colleagues before getting a surprise visit from a ‘really special guest’- her husband, Steve Randall, wielding a huge bouquet of flowers.
‘You told me you weren't coming in,’ the 63-year-old said emotionally before Sally cut in, ‘I made him lie, I'm so sorry.’
Another one of BBC weather presenters Matt Taylor said ‘mornings won’t be the same’ without his ‘kind and generous colleague,’ who did his initial on-air training, and ‘metaphorically held his hand’ during the early days of his career.
Matt heartwarmingly added, ‘Carol has been one of my closest friends since the moment I joined the BBC, so much so that my own (now teenage) daughters still refer to her as "auntie" Carol.’
But it’s not just those who work with the star that are going to miss her.
Elsewhere, Prime Minister Keir Starmer appeared via video message, telling Carol, ‘Congratulations on a truly remarkable career. You've been a staple, every morning for us.’ He went on to praise her ‘professionalism,’ ‘warmth’ and ‘sunny disposition.’
Viewers also got involved. ‘I am wishing and hoping this is an April Fool's trick,’ said Sandra.
While another viewer shared, ‘I just would like to tell you how much I have loved watching you… Your lovely personality always shines through!’
A third wished her ‘the very best retirement.’
Addressing her 28-year-long BBC career and departure Carol tearfully admitted, ‘I've loved my job, I've loved working at the BBC. But I love my husband more than my job.’
The star, who tied the knot with Steve in 2023, added that it hadn’t been an easy decision but it felt like the right moment, saying ‘I'll carry with me the most wonderful memories.’
The reality of not showing up to work every weekday hasn’t sunk in just yet, however. ‘I think I'm in denial, I'll probably rock up on Monday,’ she confessed, adding, ‘I'm going to miss everyone horribly.’
But, as for what she is looking forward to, Carol joked, ‘Alarm clocks will be a thing of the past,’ before concluding, ‘It is a new chapter, so Steve and I are going to set off into the sunset.’
Carol first joined the BBC in April 1998 and over almost three decades became a household name who, evidently, will be missed.
