Carol Kirkwood's poetic goodbye to her Breakfast pal 'Billy'

BBC Breakfast’s weather presenter Carol Kirkwood delivered a poem she had penned for Bill Turnbull as the team wished him goodbye on his final show.

Carol, who always affectionately referred to him as Billy, said: “It has been so much fun. You always laugh at my jokes even when there’s tumbleweed rolling across the screen and I must say, I’m really, truly going to miss you.”

Here is the sonnet @carolkirkwood wrote for @billtu :) #byebyebill https://t.co/0YDKRzyn2a

— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) February 26, 2016

Back in the studio, she read out her sonnet-style ode to old friend Bill, which she admitted she had written in “five minutes last night”.

Here are the inspired verses:

“There was once a young man called Billy,

Who at times could be rather silly,

With his wit and his charm

He could easily disarm

And even make his co-presenters sound witty.

“Politicians and movie stars fazed him not,

Even when their interviews were a bit fraught,

He took it all in his stride,

As we looked on with pride,

Thinking Billy is the best we’ve got.

“But it’s his friendship and warmth I’ll miss most,

And with great pride I can always boast,

I worked many years with our Bill,

Whose shoes will be oh-so-very hard to fill.”

Bill, pictured with ex “TV wife” Sian Williams, leaves after 15 years (BBC)

Afterwards, she said: “He’s such a dear friend, I love you to death and it’s been such a pleasure, Billy. You’re just a wonderful human being.”

Bill leaves BBC Breakfast after 15 years to spend more time bee-keeping and with his family.

But he’ll be back on screens soon with new BBC One quiz show Think Tank.