Carol Kirkwood was left gobsmacked – as well as lip-smacked – as a man leapt in front of the cameras to plant a kiss on her while broadcasting live from central London

BBC Breakfast’s Carol Kirkwood was left gasping when she was unexpectedly kissed while live on air.

The 62-year-old weather expert has offered her insights and expertise on low pressure, sunny spells, et all on BBC Breakfast since 1997, and has a warm rapport with the various hosts that helm the show. On Christmas Eve, the married star was left in shock when one of her colleagues planted a kiss, smack on her lips.

Carol was providing a weather update live from London’s Covent Garden where she was standing underneath falling fake snow. Impressing hosts Jon Kay and Sally Nugent, the weather expert explained that the fake flakes were harmless and gave a playful illusion of a festive weather storm.

She told the stars back in the studio: “It’s fab – and non-toxic as well, so you can stand under it like this, quite easily.” She then pointed to a small sprig of mistletoe that she had attached to the front of her coat and complained: “But my mistletoe has not really done the trick, this morning, has it?”

Carol giggled after the sudden kiss ( 
Image:
BBC)

A man suddenly burst into the screen and grabbed Carol in his arms, bending her backwards, and kissing her passionately in front of the camera. As he pulled away, and dashed back off-screen, Carol struggled to compose herself as she giggled and laughed like a schoolgirl.

In the wake of stunned silence from Jon and Sally in the studio, she explained: “Oh, I say! That’s Tim, who’s our sound engineer. We’re good friends. I wasn’t expecting that!” And she continued to smile and laugh.

Carol has been happily married to police officer Steve Randall since December 2023 – with their first anniversary due on Friday. The couple met in 2017 at a work function, and it appeared to be love at first sight – with the romance beginning almost a decade after Carol’s first marriage to property developer Jimmy Kirkwood collapsed in 2008 after 18 years.

Earlier this year, Carol shared an insight into the romantic home life that she shares with Steve. She told The Sunday Times in August: “I get up at 2.45am. Steve, who’s a police officer, gets up too and makes me a cup of tea. I get to Broadcasting House, which is the headquarters of BBC in London, by 4am.”

And back in July, Carol reflected on the chance encounter with Steve that she had in 2017 that set them on their path towards marriage. She told The Daily Mail’s You Magazine: “I met Steve at a work function about seven years ago. I was drinking an espresso martini, and Steve very sensibly wasn’t drinking because he’s a policeman and had work the next day.

“We went on our first lunch date shortly after and had sandwiches and tea. It’s strange to think that neither of us had planned on going to the function, but we changed our minds at the last minute, and if one of us hadn’t, we’d never have met. It was a real sliding doors moment.”