BBC Breakfast star Rachel Burden is a familiar face to millions of viewers, but she keeps her personal life very much underwraps
BBC Breakfast’s Rachel Burden is the go-to hero, frequently stepping in at the eleventh hour to fill in for her colleagues Naga Munchetty, Charlie Stayt, Sally Nugent, and Jon Kay when they’re away from the show.
Last year, the journalist and mother of four took over for Naga, joining forces with Charlie Stayt on the famous red sofa. Viewers were quick to sing her praises, urging BBC bosses to secure Rachel as a mainstay on the morning programme.
At that time, fervent viewers took to social media platform X to voice their support for Rachel, with one user pleading: “Please, can we keep Rachel instead of Naga?” Another fan echoed this sentiment, tweeting: “BBCBreakfast Rachel Burden is one of the better presenters on the BBC.” A third viewer complimented the dynamic between Charlie and Rachel, saying: “This pairing of Charlie with Rachel seems to work well as with Nina….”, reports the Express.
A final person stated: “Rachel demonstrating how to do a good interview #BBCBreakfast.”
Many will fondly remember Rachel for her Sunday morning stints on BBC Breakfast alongside Roger Johnson, where their shared laughter and rapport shone through.
The 50-year-old television presenter also has her own weekday breakfast show on BBC Radio 5 Live, where she has become a familiar voice to her audience since 2011.
While Rachel’s professional achievements are well known, her personal life away from the spotlight remains much more private.
Famous husband
Rachel is blissfully wed to BBC luminary Luke Mendham, famed for his roles in acclaimed programmes like BBC’s Panorama, Britain’s Secret Charity Cheats, BBC Horizon, and Channel 4 Dispatches.
The couple has been married for over two decades, even commemorating a significant wedding anniversary just last year. Rachel celebrated the momentous day on Instagram with a nostalgic photo from their nuptials.
To honour their 20th anniversary, Rachel captioned: “It was 20 years ago today,” and humorously shared: “So I *made* him put on that old suit, because I loved my wedding dress so much.”
She also recounted: “And we celebrated with beautiful friends who married in the same church the day before us – although we only found out when we moved in opposite them three years later (and were both pregnant and due on the same date).”
Concluding with a hopeful note, she expressed: “Anyway, we made it. And I quite fancy having a go at another 20.”
Family life
The mother of four is an avid sharer of her family life on social media, posting pictures of her children and their family adventures.
Residing in Cheshire, Rachel, Luke, and their children – Rose, Alice, Sam, and Henry – relish their time spent exploring the great outdoors together.
Back in 2017, Rachel opened up about her dream of a large family; while Luke seemed satisfied with their family as it was, Rachel harboured a desire for a fourth child.
In a heartfelt interview with Cheshire Live, Rachel revealed: “I spent quite some time persuading my journalist husband, Luke, that our family would be complete with a fourth child; quite something when we had originally planned to have only two.”
“Selfish” admission
Rachel recently sparked a heated discussion during her appearance on the Mid Point Podcast with Gabby Logan, where she reflected on the birth of her fourth child and pondered whether her decision was “selfish” for prioritising her desire over potential birth risks.
Despite having three previous children with relatively uncomplicated deliveries, Rachel confessed that she hadn’t considered the possibility of complications arising – a reality she unfortunately faced when her son was born prematurely at 31 weeks.
In a candid conversation with Gabby, Rachel expressed regret: “I had three very sort of straightforward pregnancies and I made the terribly arrogant assumption I’d have a fourth baby and it would be fine and straightforward.”
She continued, sharing her introspection: “And I think sometimes when I reflect on it, I think it was a really selfish thing to do. I came from a big family – I really wanted a big family,” highlighting her deep-seated desire for a large family unit.
Viewers can catch BBC Breakfast every morning on BBC One, starting at 6am.
