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Carol Kirkwood

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Carol Kirkwood
Kirkwood in 2008
Born
Carol MacKellaig

(1962-05-29) 29 May 1962 (age 62)
Morar, Inverness-shire, Scotland
Alma materNapier University
OccupationTelevision presenter
Known for
Spouses
  • Jimmy Kirkwood
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1990; div. 2008)​
  • Steve Randall
    ​
    (m. 2023)​

Carol Kirkwood (née MacKellaig) (born 29 May 1962) is a Scottish weather presenter, trained by the Met Office, and employed by the BBC,[1] on BBC Breakfast. In 2015, she participated in the 13th series of BBC One's Strictly Come Dancing, finishing in 10th place.

Early life

Born Carol MacKellaig on 29 May 1962 in Morar, Inverness-shire, she was one of eight children to parents who were hoteliers in Morar.[2] After attending Lochaber High School in Fort William, Kirkwood gained a BA in commerce from Napier College of Commerce and Technology (now Edinburgh Napier University) in Edinburgh.[3]

Career

After graduation, Kirkwood joined the BBC's secretarial reserve in London. After a series of internal moves, she presented short slots on BBC Radio Scotland, and then BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio 4.[4] Following her marriage to Jimmy Kirkwood, she left the BBC and subsequently worked in recruitment and then as a training consultant for a management consultancy in Cheshire.[2][3] In 1992, she spent time on a now defunct cable TV channel, Windsor TV, latterly called Wire TV, along with Sacha Baron Cohen.[citation needed]

Kirkwood rejoined the BBC at the corporation's Elstree Studios training department in 1993 as a freelance presenter, during which time she also presented a bi-monthly programme Talking Issues for HTV West.[4] In 1996 Kirkwood joined the new UK operation of The Weather Channel, but after it closed down she underwent training under the guidance of the BBC at the Met Office, before joining BBC News in April 1998 as a weather presenter.[4] She has since appeared regularly across all of BBC Weather's output on both radio and television, including BBC News, BBC World News, BBC News at Six and the live forecasts as part of the BBC's coverage of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships.

Kirkwood is the main weather presenter on BBC Breakfast.[4] The programme moved from London to MediaCityUK in Salford in 2012 but Kirkwood stayed in London, presenting the weather on Breakfast via video link.[citation needed] She presented the BBC's The Weather Show and is also a regular contributor and reporter for The One Show.[3] In 2011, Kirkwood co-presented the BBC One series The Great British Weather.[5] She also presented the weather on BBC Radio 2's The Chris Evans Breakfast Show.

Kirkwood has appeared as a guest on CBBC's show Hacker Time.[4] In 2014, she appeared on BBC One panel show Would I Lie to You?[6] In October 2018, Kirkwood had a cameo appearance on Hollyoaks.[7]

Strictly Come Dancing

Main article: Strictly Come Dancing

In August 2015, it was announced that Kirkwood would be taking part in the thirteenth series of Strictly Come Dancing,[8] which began in September 2015. She was partnered with professional dancer Pasha Kovalev.

Week No. Dance/Song Judges' score Result
Craig Revel Horwood Darcey Bussell Len Goodman Bruno Tonioli Total
1 Cha-Cha-Cha – "Thunder in My Heart" 2 5 5 4 16 None
2 Foxtrot – "It's a Lovely Day Today" 4 6 5 5 20 Safe
3 Quickstep – "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair" 3 5 5 4 17 Safe
4 Paso Doble – "España cañí" 5 6 6 5 22 Safe
5 Viennese Waltz – "I've Been Loving You Too Long" 4 6 6 5 21 Safe
6 Rumba – "I Think I Love You" 2 4 4 3 13 Safe
7 American Smooth – "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!" 3 5 5 4 17 Eliminated

Personal life

Kirkwood was previously married to Jimmy Kirkwood; they divorced in 2008. Kirkwood announced her engagement to her new partner, Steve Randall, live on BBC Breakfast from the Chelsea Flower Show, on 23 May 2022.[9][10] They were married at Cliveden[11] in Buckinghamshire on 27 December 2023.[12] She lives in Bray, Berkshire.

Awards

Kirkwood won the TRIC award for best TV Weather Presenter in 2003, 2008, 2009 and 2012–2017.[4] She received an Honorary Fellowship from Princess Anne for "contributions to broadcasting" at Inverness College, part of the University of the Highlands and Islands, on 17 November 2015.[13]

TV appearances

Books

  • Under a Greek Moon (HarperCollins, 2021) ISBN 978-0008393380
  • The Hotel on the Riviera (HarperCollins, 2022) ISBN 978-0008393434
  • Secrets of the Villa Amore (HarperCollins, 2023) ISBN 978-0008550929

References

  1. ^ "Carol Kirkwood". Twitter. 24 August 2015. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2015.
  2. ^ a b "Interview with Carol Kirkwood". Girl Guides Association. Archived from the original on 12 October 2007. Retrieved 5 January 2008.
  3. ^ a b c "BBC Breakfast: Carol Kirkwood". BBC. Archived from the original on 10 February 2018. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "BBC Weather: Carol Kirkwood". BBC. 14 May 2017. Archived from the original on 16 December 2017. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  5. ^ "The Great British Weather". BBC. Archived from the original on 23 November 2018. Retrieved 27 October 2015.
  6. ^ "Would I Lie to You?: Series 7, Episode 5". BBC. Archived from the original on 13 November 2018. Retrieved 27 October 2015.
  7. ^ "Hollyoaks storm week to feature Piers Morgan and Carol Kirkwood cameos". Radio Times. 18 October 2018. Archived from the original on 12 April 2019. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
  8. ^ Tobin, Christian (18 August 2015). "Strictly Come Dancing confirms BBC weather presenter Carol Kirkwood as latest celebrity – Strictly Come Dancing News – Reality TV". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 27 October 2015. Retrieved 27 October 2015.
  9. ^ "BBC Breakfast Twitter". Twitter. Archived from the original on 23 May 2022. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  10. ^ McIntyre, Charlotte (4 March 2023) [2023-03-02]. "Carol Kirkwood's finally shares picture of her mystery fiancé". Daily Mirror. Archived from the original on 31 December 2023. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
  11. ^ Perrin, Isabella (6 January 2024). "Cliveden House chosen as Carol Kirkwood wedding venue". Bucks Free Press. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  12. ^ "BBC Weather presenter Carol Kirkwood announces marriage". BBC News. 29 December 2023. Archived from the original on 29 December 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  13. ^ "University reveals Student of Year and Honorary Fellows at Inverness event". hebridestoday.com. Archived from the original on 19 November 2015. Retrieved 2 January 2016.
  14. ^ "Picture Zero tweet". Twitter. Archived from the original on 17 November 2021. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  15. ^ "Saturday Kitchen". bbc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 23 July 2022. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
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