Under-fire BBC presenter Naga Munchetty has a reputation for going ‘ballistic’ at junior staff, and humiliated an intern who didn’t make her porridge perfectly, a source has claimed.
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’.
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 guy walked off the set utterly humiliated and went back to chuck it away before trying again in time for the next ad break. It was pretty brutal to watch.’
A BBC 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’s representatives declined to comment.
It comes shortly after sources told The Sun that the BBC Breakfast host was ‘under review’ with bosses considering escalating complaints to a formal investigation amid concerns over her ‘hard’ and ‘bullying’ behaviour.
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.
Recently, BBC Breakfast editor Richard Frediani reportedly 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 Frediani, with the former Head of ITV News accused of ‘shaking’ a female editor while working on the show.
Richard has stepped back from the show, and while he had already taken time off to go on holiday, has mutually agreed to extend his break, according to The Sun.
A source previously compared the workplace to ‘The Hunger Games’, saying the morning program had been ‘ripped apart, with some staff members backing Naga and Richard, while others disagree with their approach.
‘Breakfast is no longer just divided, it’s been ripped apart,’ told The Sun.
They explained while many have welcomed the investigation into the workplace and Frediani, others support his ‘tougher’ and ‘traditional journalistic’ approach.
And with the emergence of ‘two camps’ on the show, the latest revelations about Naga are said to have ‘thrown a new twist on the scandal’.
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, new 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.
