BBC Breakfast star Carol Kirkwood has shared an emotional farewell with viewers as she signed off the show for the final time. The beloved weather forecaster announced in January that she would be departing the show after 28 years.
The star exited the morning show today, with video tributes pouring in from fellow stars including Zoe Ball, Clare Balding, Sue Barker and even Prime Minister Keir Starmer, as well as fans, Carol calling them "beautiful messages".
The episode also featured an appearance from her husband Steve as well as guide dog Flash, who memorably pulled her over at the Chelsea Flower Show in a viral moment, while she was also greeted with gifts including a Little Miss Sunshine picture and a cake.
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As she was surrounded by colleagues, Carol signed off with a message for viewers, saying: "Thank you for trusting me, be it telling you about heatwaves or snow, from big national events to the everyday question of 'do I need to take a brolly?' You've been the constant in all of this, and I've never taken that for granted.
"To my colleagues past and present, both in front and behind the camera… I owe you all so much. You've been my team, my safety net, and, very often, my family."
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Carol said they have shared "breaking news, long shifts, plenty of laughter, bad hair days, and the occasional moment of pure chaos", and she "wouldn't change a second of it".
"This job has given me so much more than a career, it's given me memories," the star continued. "I'll carry them forever. Friendships, I treasure deeply, and a front row seat to the incredible, unpredictable beauty of our weather. A subject I still love."
She admitted she doesn't "have a detailed forecast" about what comes next for her, but it was "time for a new chapter", including more time with Steve and "perhaps the luxury of watching the weather instead of presenting it".
Getting visibly emotional, she concluded: "Thank you for letting me be part of your lives."
BBC Breakfast airs from 6am to 9am on BBC One.
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Sam is a freelance reporter and sub-editor who has a particular interest in movies, TV and music. After completing a journalism Masters at City University, London, Sam joined Digital Spy as a reporter, and has also freelanced for publications such as NME and Screen International. Sam, who also has a degree in Film, can wax lyrical about everything from Lord of the Rings to Love Is Blind, and is equally in his element crossing every 't' and dotting every 'i' as a sub-editor.
