BBC Breakfast presenter Naga Munchetty will step down from the programme after 17 years to take up a full-time role as host of BBC Radio 5 Live’s breakfast show.
Munchetty first joined BBC Breakfast as a finance reporter before becoming one of the programme’s main presenters, a position she has held for the past 12 years.
She currently splits her time between presenting BBC Breakfast three days a week and hosting Radio 5 Live’s mid-morning programme on another three days.
From January, she will front the 5 Live Breakfast show five days a week.
“It has been a privilege to be part of the BBC Breakfast TV team for the past 17 years, working alongside an incredibly talented and hard-working group of journalists who are not only outstanding colleagues but also great friends,” she said.
“Presenting a flagship programme on 5 Live is an opportunity that was simply too good to pass up.
“It will take a huge amount of work and require 100% of my focus and energy, and I’m really looking forward to throwing myself into the role.”
Responding to the announcement, BBC director of live and daily news John McAndrew praised Munchetty’s contribution to the morning programme.
He said Munchetty would be “hugely missed by the millions of viewers who’ve welcomed her into their homes each week”.
He added: “I’m very pleased that Naga will be staying with the BBC and I wish her the best of luck at 5 Live.”
The BBC has yet to name Munchetty’s successor on BBC Breakfast, while a new co-host will also be appointed to join her on the 5 Live Breakfast programme.
Meanwhile, current 5 Live Breakfast presenters Rachel Burden and Rick Edwards have confirmed they will also be leaving the show.
Burden will move into Munchetty’s Monday-to-Wednesday mid-morning slot on Radio 5 Live.
She said, “After 15 years hosting 5 Live Breakfast, I’ve decided it’s time for a change – and I’m really excited about launching my new show on the station.”
Edwards, who will continue presenting the sports quiz Fighting Talk, reflected on his departure by saying he would miss “our wonderful audience”, the production team and Burden, whom he described as “a colleague who has become a friend, and also a mentor, because she’s so much older than me”.
He added, “Two things I am of course looking forward to are not waking up at 3.45am, and vaping without fear of violent recrimination.”
