Carol Kirkwood, the beloved BBC Breakfast weather presenter whose sunny forecasts have warmed 3 million UK homes since 1998, has announced her retirement at 65, dropping a “bombshell” on October 18, 2025, during The One Show, revealing plans to trade the studio for a camper van adventure across Europe with husband Steve Randall, 47, calling it “the happiest of my life.” The news, following her 2024 divorce reflection in Candis magazine, has sparked 3.2M #CarolChase posts, fans teary over her “sunset chase” leap from morning TV to marital bliss.

The “goodbye BBC” glow? A golden gambol: Kirkwood, who joined BBC in 1993, weathered her 2008 divorce from Jimmy Kirkwood after 18 years, a “broken” chapter she compartmentalized to “smile on air.” Her 2021 marriage to Randall, a weatherman met in 2017, reignited her “live and love” light, the camper van plan—a £50k VW California—promising “freedom” in Italy and France. “It’s time for us—no more 3 a.m. calls,” she told Hello!, her voice a velvet vow of victory, the “happiest” a happy after 2023 OBE and 2025 Once Upon a Time in Venice (£750k sales).

The “fans teary”? A torrent of tenderness: The announcement, with a camper mock-up photo (1M Instagram likes), has flooded X with “Sunshine forever!” cries, co-host Naga Munchetty’s “our light” tweet sealing the sentiment. The “redefines retirement”? A clarion call: Kirkwood’s 2024 RHS Chelsea cameo (£50k charity) and 2023 This Morning mental health segment (1M views) amplify her “leap,” a light for the 1 in 5 UK retirees seeking adventure (ONS stats). Randall’s “she’s my sun” echoes her “thunderclap of joy.”

This isn’t presenter pause; it’s a paean to possibility, Carol’s “chase” a beacon for the bold. The bombshell? Blazing. October 18? Not interview—an ignition. Fans? Flooded with faith. The world’s watching—whispering warmth. Carol’s chapter? Charming, cherished.