BBC Breakfast star on most 'devastating' time in her life after marriage split

24 February 2024 , 10:07

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Carol has since got remarried (Image: GC Images)

BBC Breakfast's Carol Kirkwood has said she was "devastated" after her split from her first husband Jimmy Kirkwood.

The weather presenter, 61, opened up on Kaye Adam's podcast 'How to Be 60', as she was asked to share about the most difficult year in her life so far. She got married to well-known Irish cricket player Jimmy when she was 28-years-old and starting her career at the . However, she has never revealed why they decided to call time on their relationship.

When asked by Kaye on the podcast about her divorce, Carol explained that she "didn't expect" it to happen. She explained that it was "devastating" at the time but it eventually turned into "better things".

Carol is now married to Steve (carolkirkwood/Twitter)

Carol got married again in 2023 (GC Images)

According to OK! magazine, she said: "Probably the year I got divorced, I didn't expect that to happen and it was shocking. It was pretty devastating at the time, but it led to better things after that. I think that was probably the hardest year, that or when my dad died. I was very close to my dad and he died when I was quite young and he was the apple of my eye so either of these two. For different reasons."

Carol found herself learning new things in her forties post-divorce due to now being single and living on her own. Her ex-husband dealt with things like the banking as Carol said: "All of that was new to me at the ripe old age in my 40s. You were a wee bit lost but you get on with it."

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However, Carol is now happily married for a second time as she met Steve Randall when she went to an event with Steph McGovern. Carol and Steve went on to get engaged in 2022 and had a small wedding last year in Buckinghamshire. Upon her return to work after the wedding, Carol said she wouldn't change a thing about the day.

Speaking to presenter Jon Kay, she said: "Jon I cannot tell you how fabulous it's been. It was the most perfect and romantic and intimate wedding - we are both so incredibly happy. You shouldn't really be talking like this about your own wedding but it was blissful, it was romantic, it was absolutely perfect. I would not change a thing about the day."

She then joked: "It was very small as well, and intimate, so you didn't have to worry that Auntie Nelly didn't have a glass of sherry in her hand."

Jon then teased: "Does that mean you had all the sherry?" the comment left Carol laughing as she responded to her colleague: "You know me far too well!" Carol hasn't revealed much about her husband before as he tends to stay out of the spotlight. However, she has previously said that he never fails to make her laugh and often leaves her love notes after she's been at work.

Charlotte Everett