Kirkwood told presenters Jon Kay and Sally Nugent: “I didn’t want to get emotional, but you two are my friends, and I love you dearly.”
“I want to spend more time with my gorgeous husband Steve. We’re ships that pass in the night, so I’m really looking forward to doing that. We want to travel as well.”
She added: “I’ve loved my job, I’ve loved working at the BBC, but I love my husband more than my job.”
Kirkwood, who is from Morar on the west coast of Scotland, married police officer Steve Randall in 2023.
She is known as one of the most familiar and friendly faces on the BBC, and her weather updates are watched and trusted by an audience of millions every day.
After starting her BBC presenting career on the News channel, Kirkwood went on to appear regularly on BBC One. She has been the main weather presenter on BBC Breakfast since 2010.
As well as fronting the daily bulletins, Kirkwood often presented the weather on location, including from Wimbledon, the Chelsea Flower Show and royal events.
She has also reported for The One Show and competed on Strictly Come Dancing in 2015, reaching week eight with her partner Pasha Kovalev.
She has repeatedly been named best TV weather presenter at the TV and Radio Industries Club Awards.
But every now and then she has gone viral for on-air mishaps, including the time she was upstaged by a dog.