Indian-origin BBC journalist Naga Munchetty accused of bullying, misconduct

India Today

20-06-2025

Indian-origin BBC presenter Naga Munchetty is facing allegations of bullying and inappropriate off-air behaviour. The 50-year-old has reportedly been reprimanded by BBC bosses over two incidents in the past three years. One of these involved a crude comment made during a break, where Munchetty allegedly used a slang term for a sex act and directed it at a colleague.In another incident reported in 2024, Munchetty allegedly accused a junior female colleague on BBC Breakfast of stealing, an accusation insiders claim was false. The confrontation reportedly occurred behind closed doors.advertisement"It was humiliating. There was no evidence, no apology. The woman left not long after, completely demoralised," an insider told The Sun, adding that this was not an isolated case: "It really is the tip of the iceberg."
The 2022 incident reportedly shocked those present in the studio, prompting management to speak to Munchetty.A senior producer is said to have reprimanded her, although no formal disciplinary action followed. One insider described the moment as "crass, inappropriate and wildly unprofessional," adding that the person targeted "felt embarrassed".These revelations come amid heightened scrutiny of the BBC over workplace misconduct, with multiple allegations emerging involving senior figures.The Times recently reported that the BBC Breakfast editor, Richard Frediani, is currently under formal investigation for bullying. Staff have been asked to share their experiences of working on the programme, according to Deadline, a UK daily.advertisementFrediani has taken extended leave following accusations that include shouting at staff, kicking a bin, and pressuring news teams not to save major stories for evening bulletins. One particularly serious allegation claims he shook a female colleague.Despite the controversy, Munchetty appeared on air on BBC Breakfast on June 20 (Friday), co-hosting alongside Charlie Stayt. Reports indicate that she had previously raised concerns with BBC leadership about Frediani's conduct, even as allegations about her own behaviour surfaced.Sources within the BBC told The Times that Munchetty and Stayt had a strained relationship with Frediani, with minimal communication between them. "Fredi has no relationship with Charlie and Naga, which is weird when they are half of his frontline presenting roster," a senior figure in Salford said. 'It appears he doesn't like them and they don't like him for whatever reason, they don't talk to each other," he added.Responding to the reports, 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."