BBC Breakfast presenter Naga Munchetty, 50, faces renewed scrutiny amid accusations of bullying and inappropriate conduct during her tenure on both BBC Breakfast and Radio 5 Live, it has emerged.
According to sources, Munchetty was called in by senior management after making an off-air remark during a break on Radio 5 Live in 2022. The presenter allegedly used explicit slang relating to a sex act and directed it toward a colleague, leaving staff in the studio visibly shocked.
“She was warned off by a senior producer but no disciplinary action was taken,” a source disclosed. The comment was soon talked about inside the Radio 5 Live team. A source characterized it as “crass, inappropriate and wildly unprofessional,” and stated that the person who was on the receiving end of the remark “felt embarrassed.”
Bullying Incident on BBC Breakfast
In a separate incident, a further controversy apparently occurred on the set of BBC Breakfast last year. Munchetty is said to have accused a junior female member of staff—the most junior on the team—of theft, without offering proof. The disagreement was reportedly in private and, according to one insider, no apology was forthcoming.
“It was humiliating. There was no evidence, no apology. The woman left soon after, totally demoralised,” said the insider.
Another insider revealed that this incident was not one-off. “That wasn’t an isolated incident. It really is the tip of the iceberg,” they stated, referring to wider issues over the working culture on the show.
Broader Context of BBC Misconduct Cases
These claims come when there is increasing scrutiny of the BBC over workplace abuse involving big-name stars. Naga Munchetty is the first female presenter openly named during the row. Others are Strictly Come Dancing’s Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima, who left the show amid allegations of bullying, and Wynne Evans, who pulled out of a tour after applying the slang term “spitroast” to a dish, which has sexual connotations.
It has been questioned by critics how consistent the BBC has been in handling such issues. “If a male presenter had made a sexual remark like that or had accused someone of theft falsely, he’d be out the door. But with Naga, it is brushed under the carpet,” said a BBC Breakfast insider.
Investigation Underway
While this was going on, the editor of the show, Richard Frediani, is absent on leave in the wake of a formal investigation into allegations of bullying and other issues related to workplace culture. The situation was noted in a recent internal email by BBC management, where they thanked the team for their “professionalism.”
A BBC spokesperson made a generic statement, stating, “While we don’t comment on individual cases, we take all complaints concerning conduct at work very seriously.”
A spokesperson for Naga Munchetty refused to comment.