BBC Breakfast star Carol Kirkwood has been a familiar face on our screens for decades, but the weather presenter has quietly navigated her fair share of heartbreak

Award winning weather presenter Carol Kirkwood

BBC Breakfast favourite Carol Kirkwood has remained a cherished presence on our television screens for years, lifting our spirits each morning with her radiant personality and dependable weather updates. It comes after Sharon Osbourne broke down in tears at Ozzy’s funeral in heartbreaking scenes.

However, beneath her sunny disposition, the 62-year-old meteorologist has privately endured her own difficulties – including coming to terms with a cherished aspiration she had. During a candid chat with OK!, Carol shared the emotional struggle of remaining childless – something she had once yearned for deeply.

“I always wanted to have children. That was my dream,” she admits.

The presenter, recognised for her buoyant attitude and polished professionalism, disclosed that she had even explored fertility treatments before the expenses became prohibitive.

“It was a source of heartbreak, but we tried and failed.”

The Scottish broadcaster, who was raised in a large household as one of eight children, has poured her affection into being an exceptionally caring aunt.

“I love them all incredibly,” she glows, speaking about her 15 nieces and nephews, alongside numerous godchildren.

Although that specific dream remained unfulfilled, Carol has discovered contentment in other aspects of her existence – both in her personal relationships and career achievements.

Following her 2008 split from former hockey player Jimmy Kirkwood, Carol turned her attention to her career and gracefully rebuilt her world.

She maintained privacy around her romantic life for years, before thrilling supporters in 2022 when she revealed her engagement to longtime beau Steve Randall, an ex-police officer who became an entrepreneur.

The couple now live in rural Buckinghamshire and recently wed in an intimate ceremony, with Carol offering fans peeks at their happiness through social media posts.

On the professional front, Carol has enjoyed a remarkable journey with the BBC since joining the corporation in the late 1990s.

She became a mainstay on BBC Breakfast and swiftly positioned herself as Britain’s favourite meteorologist.

Her kindness, knowledge, and authentic rapport with audiences transformed her into a cherished national figure.

Beyond her broadcasting duties, Carol captivated fans during her 2015 stint on Strictly Come Dancing, teaming up with professional dancer Pasha Kovalev and winning hearts with her elegance and wit.

More lately, she has ventured into authorship, releasing multiple romantic fiction titles that have received rave critiques and sold exceptionally well.

Overcoming romantic disappointment, she explains, has enhanced both her writing abilities and character.

“You know how it feels when somebody doesn’t love you any more and moves on, in the same way that you’ve probably done to somebody else, when you’ve been honest and said, ‘I think you’re great, but romantically, it’s not going anywhere,’” she says.

“When you’re heartbroken, you cry a lot, you feel sorry for yourself and you think, perhaps, you’re going to spend the rest of your life on your own, and then you don’t. You come out of that. You grow.”

Now, she hopes that her own happy ending is giving hope to other women who find themselves suddenly navigating midlife solo.

“When I got divorced, I did date other people, then somebody said to me, ‘You need to find yourself’ and I was thinking, ‘What? I know myself. I know who I am.’ But I went for a period without dating people, because I was just happy going out with my friends.”

Yet for all her accomplishments, it’s evident that not having children remains a sensitive subject in an otherwise fulfilling existence.

Ever graceful, Carol has come to terms with it.