Naga Munchetty to Leave BBC Breakfast for Radio 5 Live

Munchetty is among the best-paid presenters on the BBC’s star salaries list, earning about £360,000 a year, according to the latest accounts. Over the years, she has interviewed major celebrities and politicians on the programme ranging from Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama to Sir Keir Starmer, Sir David Attenborough and Sir Rod Stewart. In 2016, she appeared on the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing. Munchetty has also been at the centre of some controversies during her time on BBC Breakfast. In 2019, she was initially found to have breached the BBC’s guidelines over comments she made about a social media post from Donald Trump about four female politicians of colour. However, the BBC’s director general then reversed that finding after deciding her words were not sufficient to merit upholding part of the complaint. In 2021, Munchetty and co-presenter Charlie Stayt were spoken to and reminded of their responsibilities after complaints about their reaction to a government minister’s flag, and Munchetty apologised for liking “offensive” tweets about the exchange. Radio 5 Live Takeover and the Departure of Rachel Burden

Radio 5 Live Takeover and Rachel Burden

Munchetty’s transition to the airwaves follows a broader shakeup at Radio 5 Live. Current 5 Live Breakfast hosts, Rachel Burden and Rick Edwards, announced on Tuesday’s programme that they would step down in December. Burden will move to present the weekday mid-morning programme, Monday to Wednesday 11-2pm, following 15 years on the station’s breakfast show. Edwards will present Fighting Talk on Saturday mornings. Munchetty will move to 5 Live Breakfast alongside a new co-host to be recruited in due course, the BBC said.

Reflecting on 17 Years at BBC Breakfast

Reflecting on 17 Years at BBC Breakfast

In her statement regarding the career move, Munchetty emphasized her enthusiasm for the new radio chapter while acknowledging her long history with television viewers. She said: I’m thrilled to be joining 5 Live Breakfast in January. Live news, great conversations and connecting with audiences are what I love most about broadcasting, and 5 Live does all of that brilliantly. She added: It has been a privilege to be part of the BBC Breakfast TV team for the past 17 years, working alongside an incredibly talented and hard-working group of journalists who are not only outstanding colleagues but also great friends.

Presenting a flagship programme on 5 Live is an opportunity that was simply too good to pass up. It will take a huge amount of work and require 100% of my focus and energy, and I'm really looking forward to throwing myself into the role. She

Behind-the-Scenes Scrutiny and Financial Disclosures

Behind-the-Scenes Scrutiny and Financial Disclosures

The move comes after reports that Munchetty had faced allegations of bullying on the breakfast TV show. There has been no suggestion her move and the allegations are connected. The host, 51, was said to have been placed under review last August following complaints of bullying over a three-year period, according to a number of sources. She was accused of bullying a female colleague and making a wildly unprofessional off-air sex joke that left a co-worker “humiliated”. She has never publicly commented on the claims.

Individual HR Matters at the BBC

The BBC has been contacted for comment, but at the time that the bullying allegations were reported it said: We do not comment on individual HR matters. Last year, the BBC reportedly launched an investigation into allegations of bullying levelled at Munchetty, and at the time, the broadcaster gave no details and reiterated that it did not comment on individual HR matters. The BBC has not said that the bullying investigation was related to her exit.