Carol Kirkwood bids emotional farewell to BBC Breakfast

Weather presenter Carol Kirkwood said it had been a "privilege and honour" to have been welcomed into viewers' homes for 28 years, as she bade an emotional farewell to BBC Breakfast.

She was showered with well wishes from viewers, colleagues and celebrities throughout her final programme on Wednesday, with presenter Sally Nugent telling Kirkwood she had "changed the way that weather is reported in television".

Discussing what she would do next, Kirkwood said: "For once I don't have a detailed forecast, but I do know this – it's time for a new chapter.

"A bit more time with Steve, and perhaps the luxury of watching the weather instead of presenting it."

Becoming emotional, she told viewers: "Thank you for letting me be part of your lives."

In a video tribute, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer congratulated Kirkwood on a "truly remarkable career".

"You've been a staple every morning for us in relation to the weather, with your professionalism, your warmth, and that sunny disposition you have," he said.

In a heartfelt goodbye speech as she closed the programme, Kirkwood told viewers: "Thank you for trusting me, be it telling you about heatwaves or snow, to the everyday question of 'do I need to take a brolly?'

"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.

"We've shared breaking news, long shifts, plenty of laughter, bad hair days, and the occasional moment of pure chaos. And do you know what? I wouldn't change a second of it."

Before delivering her final forecast, Kirkwood was greeted on set by guide dog Flash, who was brought into the Breakfast studio.

Kirkwood was memorably pulled over by Flash while she was reporting from the Chelsea Flower Show.

She was later seen on video meeting another 10 Downing Street resident, Larry the Cat.

Her Breakfast colleagues past and present then came together on set to present her with a Little Miss Sunshine framed picture, a cake and a standing ovation.

She was joined on the red sofa by her husband Steve, who joked that the "the first thing to go" in their new lives going forward would be the "the alarm clock".

Kirkwood told Nugent and co-presenter Jon Kay: "I've been on this programme for 28 years, and it's been amazing, absolutely amazing. And I've had so many privileged moments.

"I've been honoured to be on this programme for so long, meet our viewers, all these things. And it is a new chapter, so Steve and I are going to set off into the sunset."

The broadcaster and author, who also competed on Strictly in 2015, said reporting from Wimbledon, the Chelsea Flower Show and Royal Ascot had been her career standouts, as well as the poppies at the Tower of London.

"When you go to an event with Carol, it is a little bit like going to an event with The Queen," Nugent reflected.

It was a misty start to Kirkwood's final day as her Breakfast presenting colleagues read out messages and shared memories from viewers expressing their appreciation.

They also played out video messages from viewers and stars including the prime minister, and fellow broadcasters Zoe Ball, Chris Evans, Paul Merton, Sue Barker and Clare Balding, as well as Olympian Sir Chris Hoy and rock star Bryan Adams.

Early on in the show, Kirkwood beamed as she left her weather station to join Nugent and Kay on the sofa in a white dress. "I might just stay now that I'm on the sofa," she joked.

She was then shown a surprise video, which compiled farewell messages from fans and standout moments from her 28-year career.

"Thank you everyone for all these beautiful messages," she said. "I hope I can get a copy of them."

Nugent noted: "I don't think we've ever had more messages about anything else." Kay similarly confirmed there had been "thousands" of messages, which Nugent said talked "about you and everything you have meant to them over the last years".

The Breakfast presenter went on to note that while she and her colleagues had been "so lucky to have you here with us, we forget all the people at home who are your friends too".

Kirkwood replied saying that meeting viewers down the years, while out and about filming, had been "so special".

"When I go on outside broadcasts, our viewers come up and chat and I love that," she said.

"I love finding out how they're getting on, how their day's going, and we just chit-chat about anything."

She added: "And sometimes I think, 'I'm on in two minutes!' and leg it over to the camera.

"But it's so lovely to meet our audience."

She said it was "so lovely that anybody would bother to come up and chew the cud with you for a while"

Kirkwood, who is from Morar in Scotland, confirmed she had been told many times that, with her "Highland lilt", she had "sent babies to sleep"

"As long as I'm not sending the audience to sleep."

Writing on the BBC News live page ahead of her last show, Kirkwood said: "I can't believe this day has come."

"The last 02:30 alarm call, my last briefing with the duty forecaster, the last time I hear 'time gone Carol' in my earpiece," she noted.

"People often ask me how I always seem so cheerful in the mornings. Well, it helps that I absolutely love the weather and talking about it on the TV.

"Over the last 25 years I've seen huge changes in the technology behind the forecast and on camera, but the one thing that stays the same is our fascination with the wonder of weather."

She said she would "miss doing the forecast hugely and the connection it has brought me with audiences right across the UK".

"But I am looking forward to some lie-ins and exploring the weather elsewhere around the world. Thank you for watching!"