Carol Kirkwood: BBC Breakfast star lays bare the truth about her successful presenting job

Carol Kirkwood, 56, has worked at BBC Breakfast for 20 years and gained a bevy of loyal fans along the way.

The presenter is a regular on the popular morning show and presents the weather forecast on a daily basis.

Her easy to digest weather reports are a hit with viewers and has made her one of the nation’s most loved TV stars.

Talking about her success, Carol began: “I think it’s about good memory and also having an understanding about what you’re talking about.”

Last year, the TV personality told Express.co.uk: “If you understand what you’re talking about then it’s easier to convey.”

The broadcaster also admitted she gets easily distracted while presenting the weather report to millions of viewers.

“When I’m talking to the camera in the studio, it feels like I’m talking to one person even though there might be 10 million watching,” she explained.

“Sometimes we get drawn into open talkback, which is when you hear everything that’s said by everyone in the gallery.”

The radio presenter continued: “So you’ll be going through your weather forecast and somebody says, ‘Would anyone like some tea?’ and you think, ‘Yes, I would!’ and find you can’t actually say that.

“Or, ‘What happened last night in EastEnders? Why did Sharon do this?’ and I think, ‘I know, but I can’t tell you!’

“It is kind of like that. You get distracted but you have to keep it going.”

Carol, who first joined BBC Breakfast in 1998, rarely puts a foot wrong while on air, however, she was once left red-faced during an interview.

On one occasion the reporter was accompanied on set by team of sculptors, who had carved a teapot out of snow.

Before going live, Carol asked the men if she could touch the piece while she spoke about it on air.

Of course, they agreed, but when she went to pat the hard-packed ice on-screen it crumbled before her eyes.

Recalling the mortifying moment, Carol recounted: “So there I was, live on air, exclaiming, ‘Look at this beautiful snow sculpture; it’s so sturdy!’

“Then, just as I patted it, the whole thing simply crumbled.”

She added to Essential Surrey and SW London: “Well, I tell you, the look of horror on the faces of these poor men who had spent hours creating it. Three hours work down the swanny and I had to stop myself from laughing!”

Despite the mishap, Carol has been awarded weather reporter of the year nine times and is widely considered to be one of the best in the industry.

BBC Breakfast airs weekdays on BBC One at 6am.

source: express.co.uk