BBC Breakfast presenter Naga Munchetty is facing scrutiny after being accused of inappropriate behaviour and bullying incidents on both BBC Breakfast studio and Radio 5 Live.
According to a report in The Sun, Naga has been reprimanded for two allegations in three years – one that she bullied a junior staffer and another that she made a sex jibe off air on Radio 5 Live.
These claims have emerged after the BBC announced that Richard Frediani, the editor of Breakfast and News at One, had taken some 'extended leave' amid claims of bullying against him. This came after 'unhappy' employees made a formal complaint against 'tyrannical' Richard, according to The Sun.
The BBC has enlisted the help of a consultant to review the culture of its breakfast show. Sources also say that the BBC's HR team have seconded a lawyer from PwC to sort out the ongoing problem. According to deadline, staff have been approached about sharing their experience of working on the programme, according to the industry website Deadline.
Naga has been a staple of the BBC breakfast show since 2010 and became part of the presenting lineup in 2014.
What did Naga Munchetty say?
The exact comment Naga is under fire for hasn’t been reported. But according to reports, it was thought to be a crude slang term for a sex act, before directing the question at a colleague. The incident, which happened in 2022, was said to have left the audience stunned. Naga was reprimanded by a senior producer, but no formal action was taken.
One source described the incident as 'Crass, inappropriate and wildly unprofessional. The person felt embarrassed.'
According to The Sun, Naga was allegedly involved in the bullying of a younger member of staff last year, who was the most junior staffer. She reportedly accused the staffer of stealing without presenting any evidence. The confrontation led to a closed-door exchange, with Naga not issuing an apology after. 'It was humiliating. There was no evidence, no apology. The woman left not long after, completely demoralised,' said a source.
Another insider explained the episode as part of a larger issue. 'That wasn’t an isolated incident. It really is the tip of the iceberg,' they said.
Alice Hall is the Staff Writer at Grazia UK. At Grazia, she writes news and features about pop culture, health, politics and interiors.