Naga Munchetty will leave BBC Breakfast after 17 years to take over as the new presenter of the BBC Radio 5 Live breakfast show starting in January 2027. Rachel Burden, who has co-hosted the weekday breakfast program for 15 years, announced her departure on Tuesday and will transition to hosting the weekday mid-morning program, covering Mondays to Wednesdays.
Burden became emotional as she announced her decision on air, stating, "I have some news to share, with you, ah, I really need to try and keep it together." She reflected on her tenure, saying she had "loved, I think, almost every single minute of it" and that she and co-host Rick Edwards had been considering "what comes next, and I guess how we meet sort of shifting priorities in our lives."
Rick Edwards, who has co-presented the breakfast show with Burden for five years, will step down in December. He will go on to host Fighting Talk on Saturday mornings and contribute to other BBC Radio 5 Live programs.
Munchetty, who has been presenting the weekday mid-morning program on BBC Radio 5 Live since January 2021, expressed her enthusiasm for the new role. "I'm thrilled to be joining 5 Live Breakfast in January," she stated. "Live news, great conversations and connecting with audiences are what I love most about broadcasting, and 5 Live does all of that brilliantly." She added that presenting a flagship program on 5 Live was an opportunity "too good to pass up" and would require her full focus.
Despite stepping away from BBC Breakfast, Munchetty will continue to present her current programs until January. Controller Heidi Dawson described Munchetty as "one of the UK's most accomplished broadcasters and a hugely valued member of the 5 Live family."
The move comes amid past controversies involving Munchetty, including a formal probe launched last year over allegations of bullying a junior staffer. It was also reported that she was addressed by executives regarding a comment made during a radio show ad break. The BBC has consistently declined to comment on individual HR matters.
Munchetty's salary from the BBC was recently reported to be between £360,000 and £364,999 annually, placing her among the corporation's highest earners. She has also undertaken additional paid engagements, such as hosting panel discussions and giving talks at literary festivals, which are permitted under BBC guidelines requiring management approval and adherence to impartiality rules.
Burden stated her excitement about launching her new show and expressed gratitude for her years on the breakfast program, calling the listeners her "extended family." Edwards also shared his appreciation for his time on the show, citing his enjoyment of traveling for World Cups and conducting local vox pops. He humorously noted looking forward to not waking up at 3:45 am and to "vaping without fear of violent recrimination."