Naga Munchetty will take over as the new co-presenter of BBC Radio 5 Live's Breakfast show in January 2027, following the departure of current hosts Rick Edwards and Rachel Burden. Edwards, who has hosted the show for five years, announced his exit and paid tribute to his co-host Burden, who has been with the program for 15 years.
Edwards expressed his enjoyment of his time on the show, reflecting on the changes he witnessed, including "five Prime Ministers" taking office during his tenure. He shared his appreciation for Burden, describing her as a "super-friend" and highlighting their collaborative spirit. Burden, who fought back tears when announcing her departure, stated that she and Edwards had been considering what comes next and how to address shifting life priorities. She will move to host the weekday mid-morning program on Radio 5 Live from Monday to Wednesday.
Naga Munchetty, who has hosted the weekday mid-morning program on Radio 5 Live since January 2021, will step down from BBC Breakfast after 17 years to take on the flagship morning program five days a week. The move comes amid reports of past controversies involving Munchetty, including a formal probe into allegations of bullying a junior staffer and a reported meeting over a lewd comment made during a radio ad break.
A BBC 5 Live insider described the move as a