Naga Munchetty leaves BBC Breakfast after 17 years in shocking shake up

After being part of the BBC Breakfast team for the past 17 years, Naga Munchetty will be leaving the show for a new position on BBC Radio 5 Live next year.

Naga, 51, will serve as the breakfast show’s new presenter after it was confirmed that Rick Edwards and Rachel Burden would be stepping down from their positions in December. Rachel is due to stay on the station, moving to the mid-morning slot, while Rick will now present Fighting Talk on Saturday mornings.

In a statement about her move, the former Strictly Come Dancing star 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.

“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 concluded: “Over the last five years, I’ve been privileged to build a relationship with 5 Live listeners on the mid-morning programme and help shine a light on the issues that matter most to them. I’m excited to build on that in the Breakfast slot and to start each day with our listeners every morning.

“Between now and January, I’ll continue presenting the two programmes I love. I’m sure there will be plenty of news to cover, and it will very much be business as usual.”

Naga won’t be fronting the show solo and will be joined by a co-host, who has yet to be announced.

Bullying allegations against Naga

In November 2025, it was reported that the veteran presenter would face an investigation into her behaviour following allegations of bullying.

Naga was initially hit with bullying allegations in June, according to reports, with BBC bosses speaking to her about two incidents in three years, including an inappropriate sexual remark that she allegedly made while taking an off-air break from her Radio 5 programme.

The line-up of BBC Breakfast presenters

© BBC

1. Charlie Stayt

   The journalist joined BBC Breakfast back in 2006 and now hosts the show alongside Naga Munchetty from Thursday to Saturday. Prior to joining the BBC, Charlie was the principal anchor of Five News, fronting the programme’s 9/11 coverage and Millennium celebrations.

2. Naga Munchetty
   
   The presenter joined the line-up of main presenters in 2014. Before landing a role on BBC Breakfast, she appeared on BBC World News, as well as BBC Two’s weekday financial affairs programme, Working Lunch.
3. Sally Nugent
   
   Sally has been a main presenter on the show since 2021, replacing Louise Minchin following her departure after 20 years. Sally previously worked as a sports presenter on the show and covered various major sporting events for the BBC, including Emma Raducanu’s historic victory in the US Open tennis championship in 2021.
4. Jon Kay

   The newsreader and journalist took over from Dan Walker following his exit in 2022. He previously worked as a news correspondent for BBC News at Six and covered major events such as the 2012 London Olympics and the 2015 general election campaign.

5. Carol Kirkwood

   Carol is the show’s main weather presenter and has been waking up the nation with the weather forecast on the BBC for 30 years.

6. Nina Warhurst

   Nina is the show’s main business presenter, having taken over from Steph McGovern in 2020. She often fills in as an anchor on the red sofa when the main hosts are absent.

7.  Ben Thompson

   Ben is a relief presenter and regularly stands in for the main hosts when they are away from the red sofa. He can also be seen on BBC News.

8. John Watson

   John is a sports presenter and has been working for the BBC since 2012, providing viewers will all the latest sports news and stories.

Naga wasn’t the only BBC Breakfast star to face a probe into their behaviour, with her co-host, Charlie Stayt, also said to be “under review”. Meanwhile, last year the show’s editor, Richard Frediani, took a leave of absence following bullying allegations.

While the BBC refrained from commenting on the matter, the news service reiterated that it takes “all complaints about conduct at work extremely seriously and will not tolerate behaviour that is not in line with our values”.