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BBC Breakfast’s Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt’s relationship with newly-returned boss has reportedly ‘turned sour’ amid the ‘bullying’ claims.
Richard Frediani took an extended period of leave after an internal review of bullying and misconduct allegations was opened into the show.
It was previously claimed that the show’s staff are feeling increasingly ‘uneasy’ around Richard, with the former Head of ITV News accused of ‘shaking’ a female editor while working on the show.
Richard has now returned to work, but relations between him and star talent Naga, 50, and Charlie, 63, have ‘turned so sour’ he no longer directly manage them.
A source told The Sun: ‘Fredi now doesn’t brief Naga and Charlie or any of that sort of thing and someone else is on the talkback to them from the gallery.
‘The crew are entirely bemused and exhausted by it – in what world is it normal for a boss to be banned from talking to his staff?’
Talkback is the function which connects the production gallery to the set and allows an editor to speak to hosts via an earpiece.
Instead, one of Richard’s editorial team handles the link, with the insider adding: ‘Bosses are desperate to get Breakfast back on an even keel and know the tension between Fredi, Charlie and Naga is at the heart of the rising crisis.
When the Daily Mail reached out to the BBC for comment, a spokesperson said: ‘While we do not comment on individual cases, we take all complaints about conduct at work extremely seriously and will not tolerate behaviour that is not in line with our values. We have robust processes in place and would encourage any staff with concerns to raise them directly with us so they can be addressed.’
Naga, who is under review for ‘bullying’ claims, allegedly scolded a petrified intern for the way they spread Marmite on her toast, insiders have claimed.
The allegation comes after the Daily Mail revealed how she had allegedly moaned about her porridge being ‘too hot’ and not liking to blueberry topping.
An insider, who previously worked with Naga, 50, on BBC Breakfast , revealed the TV host is ‘an absolute nightmare’, adding that she would ‘kick off about the smallest of issues’.
Now, a source has told The Sun how she kicked off at an intern over how they spread Marmite on her toast.
It comes as sources revealed Naga could face a probe from BBC bosses, and has been placed ‘under review’ amid claims bullied a junior colleague on the flagship morning show.
An insider told The Daily Mail: ‘She’s an absolute nightmare. She has a reputation for going at young members of staff and making them out to be fools.
‘She would kick off about the smallest of issues, including one time she went ballistic over her breakfast not being prepared exactly how she likes it by an intern.’
On one occasion, Naga refused to eat porridge delivered by an intern in an ad break, which is typically done, saying it was ‘too hot for her to eat in the time she had’, the source said.
‘She said it’s always made exactly the same way for her each day and would prefer if the same person made it who knows exactly how she likes it,’ they added.
The Daily Mail has reached out to the BBC regarding the claim she scolded an intern over how they spread Marmite on her toast, however they have already refused to give a comment to The Sun. The Mail has contacted Naga’s representatives, who declined to comment. She has not addressed any of the allegations publicly.
Following the amount of people who have come forward to share their experiences with Naga, the BBC has officially moved to place the complaints under review.
‘The review is to ascertain whether a full-on investigation is required and that could come in weeks’, the source told The Sun.
The journalist was reportedly previously spoken to by bosses over claims she bullied a female junior staff member as well as a complaint she used a slang term for a sexual act off-air at BBC Radio 5 Live.
Naga used a slang term for a sex act during an off-air break in 2022, which stunned the studio and led to Naga being spoken to by bosses.
It was then reported that last year, Naga hauled into a meeting by bosses over the alleged bullying of a junior female colleague on BBC Breakfast.
Her BBC Breakfast star co-host Charlie’s alleged behaviour is also ‘under review’ after a string of complaints, it has been claimed.
The presenters are not under a formal investigation by the Beeb but a process has apparently begun to judge whether they should be.
While Naga is alleged to face the most criticism from BBC Breakfast crew, some staff have reportedly made claims of ‘rudeness’, ‘undermining’ them and even ‘bullying’ with Charlie also now being looked at.
Amid the fallout, Munchetty’s agents have reportedly ‘held talks with rival station LBC’ to explore opportunities for the journalist.
A source told The Sun: ‘The fallout of Richard Frediani’s investigation created a stark ‘him or her’ narrative on Breakfast with Naga flung to the front line.
‘The fact is she loves the BBC and her job but there’s only so much external noise anyone is prepared to take.
‘LBC would suit her well as the focus remains on news-led broadcasting, they take a hard line and there’s far less of the fluffy nonsense involved in working at the BBC.
‘Her team last week renewed historic talks with the global radio station to see if there could be any work for her there.’
Last month, figures released by the broadcaster revealed the presenter was awarded a £10,000 increase in her annual salary.
Her pay packet now sits at an eye-watering £355,000 – almost double that of her co-host Charlie Stayt.
Stayt, 63, has remained in the £190,000 bracket as tensions between the pair are said to be ‘rife’.
Munchetty hosts BBC Breakfast on Thursdays to Saturdays with Charlie, while Jon Kay and Sally Nugent anchor the program from the start of the week.
