CAROL Kirkwood has opened up on her toyboy boyfriend and the real reason she left BBC Breakfast.
, 64, also spoke about her life after her TV days.
: “Leaving the has been liberating. I am finally dancing to my own tune and have so much more freedom.
“In fact, I am finding my 60s really exciting. Now that I don’t have the constraints of work, a whole new world is opening up, where my husband of three years Steve [Randall, 51, a retired police officer] and I can go anywhere.”
could be something as simple as just jumping in the car and driving up to or to .
between her and Steve she explained: “The age difference between Steve and I is 13 years, but it’s not something I think about.
“People will ask: “Oh, there is a big age gap, what are you going to do when you are 85 and Steve’s 72?
“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. Anything could happen in the next 15 to 20 years. I’m not worried about that in the slightest.”
that she always wanted children but that her first husband and she couldn’t have them but that
She said: “Steve and I want to enjoy the little pleasures that each day can bring – be it going for a walk, or enjoying a nice meal he has cooked. The big things matter, but the small things are important, too.
“We are both fit, and hopefully it will stay like that. Steve even did the Marathon des Sables through the Sahara desert in 2014.
“I would love for us to do together – Steve would be brilliant at the logistical side, while I’d be good with the budget. Having said that, he would have to dig me out of all the toot shops full of fridge magnets.”
is pretty good and she’s careful about what she eats but she’ll have a glass of wine, and had wolfed down a white-chocolate cookie just before the interview.
she would not have plastic surgery and think’s there’s nothing wrong with growing old.
“Each age brings something different, and I’ve got so many lines on my face – I see them in photos – many of them laughter lines.
“Sometimes you see pictures of people who have maybe had too much work done and they don’t look natural any more. Each to their own, though. I’m not judging anybody who chooses to do it. But for me, it’s a no.”
“I remember when I was heading towards 40 and one of my friends said: “You won’t be able to wear short-sleeved tops or spaghetti straps any more.
“You won’t be able to show the tops of your arms.” I said: “Don’t be ridiculous, of course you can.” Anything goes.”
“I think if you are happy, then what does it matter? Have fun with colour and fashion. I’ve definitely become more confident as I’ve got older. I used to worry what people thought, whereas now I think: “You’re entitled to that opinion, just as I’m entitled to mine.”
she revealed she hasn’t really missed presenting the weather.
She said: “This summer was so extraordinary, it would have been interesting to have been involved in the meteorology behind all of that. I’m still in touch with former colleagues.
“Other work keeps cropping up now, and the nice thing about that is you can choose what you do. At the Beeb, you had to get permission to do extra work. Now, I’m my own boss.”
When she was presenting the weather, during the week she’d be in bed by 8pm, as she’d have to be up at 2.45am.
At the weekend, even though she’d go to bed considerably later, she’d still wake up between 4am and 5am.
However that all changed when she and Steve flew to to see The Eagles after she retired.
She explained: “The eight-hour time difference completely changed our body clocks, and when we came back to the UK we were waking up naturally between 7am and 8am.
“That was a huge change, and since then I haven’t looked back. I haven’t once woken up earlier than 7am, unless we were going on holiday and had set an alarm clock.”
with what she has in life, with her friends, family and Steve.
She explained: “I’m not one of those who always wants the next thing. If I won the lottery – I’d have to remember to enter it first – I would probably give a lot away. I’m happy with what I’ve got.”
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