Entertainment28 July, 20262 min read
Naga Munchetty Leaves BBC Breakfast After 17 Years For Radio 5 Live Breakfast
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Naga Munchetty is leaving BBC Breakfast after 17 years on the show. She will co-present BBC Radio 5 Live's Breakfast from January 2027.
BBC Breakfast exit
Naga Munchetty is leaving BBC Breakfast after 17 years to swap the TV sofa for the presenter’s chair on Radio 5 Live’s breakfast show, with the move set to begin in January. BBC said Munchetty will present 5 Live Breakfast five days a week from January, after she has been one of the main hosts on BBC One’s Breakfast for the past 12 years.
“Munchetty is leaving the show after 17 years, and will swap the TV sofa for the presenter's chair on Radio 5 Live's breakfast show.”
Munchetty framed the change as a chance she could not refuse, saying, "Presenting a flagship programme on 5 Live is an opportunity that was simply too good to pass up." BBC director of live and daily news John McAndrew said Munchetty would be "hugely missed by the millions of viewers who've welcomed her into their homes each week" as her replacement on BBC Breakfast has not yet been announced.
Bullying probe backdrop
The BBC’s announcement came as reports had said Munchetty faced allegations of bullying on the breakfast TV show, though The Guardian reported there was "no suggestion her move and the allegations are connected." The Guardian also quoted the BBC’s position on the matter, saying: "We do not comment on individual HR matters."
Munchetty’s own statement emphasized continuity between now and January, adding, "Between now and January, I'll continue presenting the two programmes I love." In a separate account, the London Evening Standard described Munchetty as having been accused last year of being "hard" and "bullying" her coworkers, and it said the outcome of the investigation has not been publicly revealed.
New schedule and pay
As part of the reshuffle around Munchetty’s departure, The Guardian said current 5 Live Breakfast hosts Rachel Burden and Rick Edwards would step down in December, with Burden moving to the weekday mid-morning programme Monday to Wednesday from 11am to 2pm. The BBC said Burden will move to Munchetty’s Monday-to-Wednesday mid-morning slot on 5 Live, while Edwards will remain host of weekend sport quiz Fighting Talk and miss "our wonderful audience" and the team.
“It was revealed earlier this month that Munchetty earned between £360,000 and £364,999 in the 2025-26 financial year.”
The GuardianThe Guardian reported that it was revealed earlier this month that Munchetty earned between £360,000 and £364,999 in the 2025-26 financial year. BBC also noted that Munchetty currently presents the TV show for three days a week and 5 Live's mid-morning programme for another three days, and it said her replacement on BBC Breakfast has not yet been announced.