Carol Kirkwood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Carol Kirkwood
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Kirkwood in 2008
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Carol MacKellaig
29 May 1962 Morar, Inverness-shire, Scotland
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| Alma mater | Napier University |
| Occupation | Television presenter |
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Carol Kirkwood, born Carol MacKellaig on May 29, 1962, is a well-known Scottish weather presenter. She was trained by the Met Office, which is the UK's national weather service. Carol works for the BBC and is a familiar face on BBC Breakfast. In 2015, she took part in the popular TV show Strictly Come Dancing, where she finished in 10th place.
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Early Life and Education
Carol MacKellaig was born in Morar, a beautiful place in Inverness-shire, Scotland. She was one of eight children in her family. Her parents owned hotels in Morar.
Carol went to Lochaber High School in Fort William. After high school, she studied commerce at Napier College of Commerce and Technology. This college is now known as Edinburgh Napier University in Edinburgh.
Carol's Career Journey
After finishing her studies, Carol started working at the BBC in London. She began in a secretarial role. Over time, she moved to different jobs within the BBC. She even presented short shows on BBC Radio Scotland, BBC Radio 2, and BBC Radio 4.
Later, Carol left the BBC for a while. She worked in recruitment and as a training consultant. In 1992, she also spent some time on a cable TV channel called Windsor TV.
Returning to the BBC
Carol rejoined the BBC in 1993. She worked as a freelance presenter at the BBC's Elstree Studios. She also presented a show called Talking Issues for HTV West.
In 1996, Carol joined a new UK branch of The Weather Channel. However, this channel soon closed down. After that, she received special training from the BBC at the Met Office. This training helped her become a weather presenter.
Becoming a Weather Presenter
In April 1998, Carol officially joined BBC News as a weather presenter. Since then, she has regularly appeared on many BBC weather shows. You might have seen her on BBC News, BBC World News, and BBC News at Six. She also gives live weather forecasts during the BBC's coverage of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships.
Carol Kirkwood is the main weather presenter for BBC Breakfast. In 2012, the Breakfast show moved from London to MediaCityUK in Salford. However, Carol stayed in London and still presents the weather for the show using a video link. She also presented the BBC's The Weather Show. Carol is a regular reporter for The One Show. In 2011, she co-presented a BBC One series called The Great British Weather. She also presented the weather on BBC Radio 2's The Chris Evans Breakfast Show.
Other TV Appearances
Carol has appeared on several other television shows. She was a guest on CBBC's show Hacker Time. In 2014, she appeared on the BBC One panel show Would I Lie to You?. In October 2018, Carol had a small role on the TV soap opera Hollyoaks.
Dancing on Strictly Come Dancing
In August 2015, it was announced that Carol Kirkwood would be a contestant on the thirteenth series of Strictly Come Dancing. The show started 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
Carol was previously married to Jimmy Kirkwood. They divorced in 2008.
On May 23, 2022, Carol announced her engagement to her new partner, Steve Randall. She shared the happy news live on BBC Breakfast from the Chelsea Flower Show. They got married at Cliveden in Buckinghamshire on December 27, 2023.
Awards and Recognition
Carol Kirkwood has won many awards for her work. She received the TRIC award for best TV Weather Presenter several times. She won in 2003, 2008, 2009, and every year from 2012 to 2017.
On November 17, 2015, Princess Anne gave Carol an Honorary Fellowship. This award was given for her "contributions to broadcasting" at Inverness College. This college is part of the University of the Highlands and Islands.
Books Written by Carol
Carol Kirkwood is also an author! She has written several books:
- Under a Greek Moon (HarperCollins, 2021)
- The Hotel on the Riviera (HarperCollins, 2022)
- Secrets of the Villa Amore (HarperCollins, 2023)
- Once Upon a Time in Venice (HarperCollins, 2024)
