Naga Munchetty Addresses Criticism Amid BBC Breakfast Tensions with Charlie Stayt

Naga Munchetty has revealed that she’s come to terms with being criticised by ‘fools’ amid reports BBC has launched a bullying probe into its flagship Breakfast show.

In April, MailOnline exclusively revealed some staff had expressed unhappiness with the show’s bullish editor Richard Frediani, accusing him of being on occasion ‘aggressive’ and ‘belittling’ towards his underlings.

Now, tensions are said to be ‘rife’ between hosts Naga, 50, and Charlie Stayt, 62, with her having already expressed her uneasiness about Frediani’s behaviour. 

Speaking to HELLO! Magazine’s Second Act podcast she opened up about beginning to finding more confidence after turning 50 earlier this year.

‘I came to terms with being a bit kinder to myself. It’s ok, you are doing your best and you are doing ok. Some people bash you just because they want to. And I realised they were fools’.

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‘I’m still that person where there are things I want [to do] but I don’t go for it because I don’t know if I am deserving of it. Both of my parents were immigrants and believed in “work hard and be good”. So you work hard to create your own opportunities’. 

On advice to her younger self she said: ‘Stop caring about what everyone thinks. Stop modifying yourself, stop making yourself small to please people. I did too much of that’. 

Amid claims the probe has left the newsroom divided, a source told The Sun: ‘To the viewer BBC Breakfast is a warm, gentle programme, one that is flourishing in the ratings. But beyond the cosy red sofa it is a very different picture. Several people — crew, production and even presenters — have been very unhappy’. 

‘Tension between Charlie and Naga is rife. Fredi is very old-school and has some slightly tyrannical tendencies. He is very cerebral but also quite aggressive in his methods. Some people think a recent promotion has gone to his head’.

‘Meanwhile, Naga, who is passionate about speaking up if she believes something is wrong, has spoken to people who are unhappy. Formal complaints have been lodged, so the BBC has to be seen to act. The probe has really divided the newsroom’.

They went on to claim that some believe Fredani, known as Fredi, is simply doing his job others think his methods are ‘too tough’ for 2025.

MailOnline have contacted BBC, Naga and Charlie’s reps for comment. 

It comes following a difficult few years for the BBC, with Huw Edwards pleading guilty to having indecent images of children, Jermaine Jenas axed after a sexting scandal and Gary Linekar axed over Anti Semitism claims. 

An insider told MailOnline in April that Naga is ‘quite open’ about her ill-feeling towards Frediani. Another said that she has an ‘uneasy relationship’ with him.

The Mail revealed that displeasure was intensifying at the BBC’s northern base in Salford, where staff have watched Frediani’s rise – from Breakfast boss to arguably the most powerful BBC editor outside London – with growing disbelief.

One said: ‘You have to wonder what on earth is going on. The BBC claims to be this no-nonsense, woke, kind place – yet Fredi has been able to keep climbing the ladder. HR and his bosses are aware of [past] bullying claims against him.

‘He’s still allowed to hire, as we saw with Nina [Warhurst, who has just been appointed a regular presenter] this week, and presumably fire. He has so much power, it doesn’t feel right at all.’

The ordeal began, when media and entertainment industry news site Deadline alleged that Frediani was the subject of at least two misconduct complaints, including one from a woman who had her grievance upheld after claiming that the Breakfast editor physically shook her during a heated newsroom exchange last year.

Others also came forward with their experiences. One person claimed to have witnessed an incident in 2019, during which a ‘clearly angry’ Richard backed a Breakfast colleague up against a wall and was ‘jabbing his finger’ as he voiced displeasure about that morning’s show.

The website reports that two sources alleged that Frediani is also known for ‘screaming’ down the phone at other BBC News desks and complaining about the quality of content they hand over to the Breakfast show.

Whether these allegations were upheld or dismissed is not known.

There was widespread internal dissatisfaction with Frediani in 2020, less than a year into his reign as editor of BBC Breakfast, after he was poached from ITV News. 

During the pandemic, MailOnline’s Katie Hind was inundated with anonymous emails from staff at BBC Breakfast which said a series of complaints have been made to the corporation’s management and its HR department about an ‘intimidating and bullying’ culture, which had led to long-term members of staff leaving their jobs.

One employee, who wished to remain anonymous, said ‘the whole atmosphere has become poisonous’ and like a ‘boys’ club’. Again, it is unclear whether these allegations were upheld or dismissed.

After the story was published in The Mail on Sunday, a number of people who had worked with Frediani got in. They said he was unpleasant to them during his tenure at ITV where he served as head of news. They were devastated – but not surprised – to hear that there were allegations that he had gone on to behave ‘aggressively’ in his new role.

One wrote: ‘I read your piece about Richard Frediani, recognising a lot of his character. I and others who suffered under him at ITV expected this would happen.’

Second Act with Ateh Jewel is available on all podcast providers.