‘I was crying off camera’: Carol Kirkwood gives rare insight into turbulent times during divorce and marriage split
The former BBC weather presenter recalls the challenges she faced during her divorce, and how she managed to still look for 'silver linings'
Carol Kirkwood is known for being a bright and welcoming presence on screen when she presented the weather for the BBC.
Following an emotional departure in April this year after 25 years at the station, Carol has been working out how to balance her plans to spend more time travelling with husband Steve, with her writing career.
She's also been taking the time to offer fans updates on her life, and during a recent appearance on Saga's Experience is Everything podcast, Carol delved into what her life looks like at the moments, but also revealed insights into her past.
The former presenter shared rare comments about her divorce and the sorrow that she hid during her split from former hockey player Jimmy Kirkwood - the couple married in 1990 and divorced in 2008 after 18 years.
"When I got divorced, that was a really difficult time," she begins, adding, "I was so unhappy, and so sad at the same time - I found myself crying as soon as I came off camera."
Carol continues, "I had to go and reapply my makeup, and go back on screen." Asked whether her divorce was sudden, Carol explains, "It felt shocking and it feels like a failure - I didn't ever envisage getting divorced."
However, despite the sadness she felt, Carol still chose to try and find the positives in her situation.
"Out of every dark cloud comes a silver lining," she says, adding, "It made me braver, so in my older age I was more accepting and I wanted to do things."
Those "things" included finding the courage to fly with the red arrows, tandem diving with the red devils and paragliding.
Carol asserts she'd never have had the ability to try these activities if she hadn't had her character strengthened by divorced.
Carol goes on to share that she now sees her divorce as "the best thing that could've happened," because she now has a "new husband, who is gorgeous."
After not expecting to find love again, the former presenter married ex-police officer Steve Randall in 2023.
She found herself surprised to fall in love again after being "happily single" for some time. She says, "I wasn't looking for anyone, I was happy going out with my male and female friends - my life was good."
Carol recalls the freedom and joy of being able to do what she wanted, when she wanted, and being "the master of my own destiny."
When she met Steve at a function, they initially got on as good friends because neither were looking for relationships. However, as the friendship progressed, so did their feelings for each other.
Steve was already retired when Carol handed in her resignation, and was a big part of that decision-making process for her.
She recalls spending a lot of time pondering the decision to step down from her role at the BBC before taking the plunge, but always not quite feeling ready.
Carol then suddenly knew "the time was right," and now plans to travel as much as possible with her husband. When asked if she had a particular "bucket list" destination in mind, she simply replies, "The world."
