Carol Kirkwood issues ‘surprising’ health update following ‘busy’ retirement

Former BBC weather presenter Carol Kirkwood joined GB News’ Stephen Dixon and Anne Diamond, where she gave an update about her health since she had retired. For more than a quarter of a century, Ms Kirkwood was one of the most familiar and trusted faces on British television.Ms Kirkwood joined the BBC Weather Centre in 1998 after training in meteorology with the Met Office and the BBC.Over the years, she appeared across numerous BBC television and radio programmes, but she became particularly well known as the main weather presenter on Breakfast.During her long career, Ms Kirkwood reported from major national events including Wimbledon, the Chelsea Flower Show, Royal Ascot, and other high-profile occasions. In January 2026, Ms Kirkwood announced that she would be retiring from the BBC after more than 25 years with the corporation. She explained that, although leaving was a difficult decision, she wanted to spend more time with her husband, Steve Randall, and enjoy a new chapter in her life. Her final BBC weather forecast aired on April 1, bringing an end to a 28-year career at the broadcaster. The occasion was marked by tributes from colleagues, celebrities, and viewers, highlighting the affection and admiration she had earned throughout her career. Joining the presenters on their Breakfast show, Ms Kirkwood was asked by Anne: “You’ve flown with the Red Arrows, you’ve been parachuting; you have done extraordinary things, as people don’t seem to see weather presenters do. “Are you not worried that actually retirement and just travelling a bit and doing up the house might be a bit boring?” Laughing at the comment, Ms Kirkwood reassured: “Absolutely not; I just see it as the best is yet to come.LATEST DEVELOPMENTSMolly-Mae Hague gives insight into 'incredible' birth of son as she shares unseen hospital snapsTracy Shaw admits 'nothing normal about life anymore' as she shares cancer updateJacob Elordi sparks fierce debate after snapping at fan during street encounter: 'Don't touch me!'“There is so much opportunity out there, and one thing that I am keen on doing is making sure that my health is good enough to do that.“I thought things like my cholesterol would be through the roof and was pleasantly happy to find out that that wasn’t the case. “And things like fitness as well, I'm not as fit as I thought I was, so that has made me determined to go into the next stage of my life with enthusiasm and to just keep fit because I want to live a long and happy life.”Speaking on her recent retirement, she added: “Retirement is amazing. My retirement has been far busier for me than it ever was working full time. “There’s so much to do, so many opportunities, even down to stupid things like painting the house, putting up a shelf, that kind of thing. “But travelling is something that me and my husband Steve really want to do, and we have started doing that already, and you're now living through your timetable, not somebody else's, so you choose how you want to spend your day. It is brilliant.” Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter