Carol Kirkwood shocked BBC viewers when she announced she would be leaving the station after more than 25 years. The weather presenter choked back tears as she delivered her news on air and revealed she would be stepping away in April.
Chatting with the morning news show's co-presenters, Sally Nugent and Jon Kay, the star explained she was exiting the channel to spend more time at home with her husband. She revealed: "I didn’t want to get emotional. but you two are my friends and I love you dearly. I love my job, I’ve loved working at the BBC – but I love my husband more than my job.
"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. We want to travel as well. So I’m going to be leaving. It’s really hard to say this, because I love my job."
While her BBC career comes to an end, her off-screen relationship with her husband Steve Randall is better than ever, after two years of marriage. The couple said 'I do' in an intimate ceremony held in Buckinghamshire on Wednesday 20 December 2023, surrounded by family and friends.
From pals to fiancées and now newlyweds, we're taking a look back at Carol and Steve's sweet love story. Rom-com fans, you'll love this one – it's like something out of a movie!
Just Friends
Prior to her relationship with Steve, Carol had been married to former field hockey and cricket player Jimmy Kirkwood. After 18 years of marriage, however, the pair decided to divorce. Steve, a police officer, had recently split from his partner too, with the pair divorcing in 2017.
The star opened up about her painful breakup in an interview with Candis magazine that was published in their October 2025 issue, and reflected on how it impacted her working life. She said at the time: "I'd still have to be smiling Carol on-screen. I'd come off air – we broadcast from the Blue Peter gardens in those days – go to the ladies, have a good cry, and then reapply my eye make-up before stepping in front of the cameras again.
"In a funny way, though, it helped with the healing process. I put my grief into a compartment that I kept separate from my work, otherwise I'd have ended up in a puddle of tears."
Following the split, Carol wasn't looking for love. "Steve came into my life when I was already very happy, I didn't need a man in my life — but I want him in my life — and that's the difference," Carol explained to an audience at Good Housekeeping Live.
© Can Nguyen/ShutterstockCarol and Steve had started out as friends, before discovering a deeper connection. "I met Steve in my 50s; we were friends before we were romantically linked. He is funny, gorgeous and, also, he is really kind, thoughtful and romantic," she told HELLO! in July 2022.
According to Mail Online, it was in 2021, that Steve and Carol were first linked, although the BBC Breakfast star – who is extremely private – kept his full name out of the public domain.
Love, Actually
After entering a relationship, Carol, 63, described Steve as "the best thing that has ever happened to me," and they decided to move in together.
© Photo: AlamySpeaking to Prima in 2021, the TV star raved about her partner. "He always makes me a cup of tea before I go to work in the morning, which is very romantic," she said.
"It's 2.45am and he often leaves me a little love note for when I come home from work. That, to me, is worth a million red roses. "He is the best thing that's ever happened to me, without a shadow of a doubt."
The Proposal
After a year of dating, Carol finally revealed a few details about her boyfriend after sharing that he'd popped the question in Spring 2022. The weather presenter made the announcement live on air while covering the Chelsea Flower Show for BBC Breakfast.
Ahead of Carol's 60th birthday, Steve had whisked her off on a walk around Berkshire, close to their home. "It was a lovely, sunny day and we had taken a picnic with us, and we were sitting by the river, watching the boats going by," she told HELLO!
"Steve started fidgeting; I turned to say: 'What's wrong?' He was on his knee, and he proposed. At first, I thought he was joking, but he said: 'No no, I really do mean it, Will you marry me?' I said: 'Yes!! Of course!'"
A testament to how well he knows her, Steve picked out the perfect ring. "My other half, Steve, chose it himself. I was very impressed – and he got the size right," she added. "It's what they call a halo ring with a central diamond and then diamonds around it. It is gorgeous."
The Princess Bride
Following their engagement, Carol revealed very few details about her wedding plans. In November, however, she shared her hopes for a very private ceremony, while appearing at Good Housekeeping Live. "I imagine we are just going to go and do it and tell everyone about it later," she said – and that's exactly what they did.
It was on Wednesday 20 December that Carol and Steve tied the knot, with the news announced nine days later.
Marrying in Buckinghamshire, Carol opted for a satin princess gown adorned with a fitted waist and a striking Bardot neckline. With her blonde locks swept into a romantic updo, her makeup further emphasised her natural beauty, with a sweep of rosy blusher highlighting her cheeks and pink gloss on her lips. Meanwhile, Steve, 50, looked dapper in a black suit with a silver tie and a white rose pinned to his buttonhole.
"It was the most perfect and romantic and intimate wedding. We are both so incredibly happy," Carol said of their wedding. Congratulations to the happy couple!
