BBC Breakfast staff defend 'overwhelmingly loved' boss under fire from Naga Munchetty - claiming 'he's not a bully at all and the truth will come out'
BBC Breakfast staff have defended their 'overwhelmingly loved' boss under fire from Naga Munchetty - and claimed 'he's not a bully at all and the truth will come out'.
It comes after it was revealed last week that editor Richard Frediani has reportedly taken 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, and just last week it was claimed that Naga and other presenters no longer speak to their 'loathed' boss.
But now some have rushed to defend Frediani.
One of those members of staff told The Mirror: 'He is not a bully at all and the truth will come out.
'He's a great boss and was - and is still - overwhelmingly loved by the team, who respect his drive, expertise, and journalistic ambition.
'He has delivered great audiences and the first ever Bafta for Breakfast.
'He can be brash and opinionated but works so hard for his team and allows people to flourish.'
Another said: 'Yes, he is old-school and can rub people up the wrong way but it's always in the pursuit of great television.
'It's the best-rating breakfast show in the country - it's not supposed to be a walk in the park.
'Some - Naga included - need to understand this. It feels like it's a case of presenter power turfing out a brilliant journalist.'
Last week the BBC have reportedly launched a bullying probe into BBC Breakfast, which has been branded 'toxic' behind the scenes in the latest crisis for the corporation.
Back in April, MailOnline exclusively revealed some staff had expressed unhappiness with the show's editor Richard Frediani, accusing him of being on occasion 'aggressive' and 'belittling' towards his underlings.
Now, tensions are said to be 'rife' between hosts and Charlie Stayt and Naga , who has already expressed her uneasiness about Frediani's behaviour, with the probe said to have left the newsroom 'divided'.
A source told The Sun at the time: 'To the viewer BBC Breakfast is a warm, gentle programme, one that is flourishing in the ratings. But beyond the cosy red sofa it is a very different picture.
'Several people — crew, production and even presenters — have been very unhappy'.
'Tension between Charlie and Naga is rife.
'Fredi is very old-school and has some slightly tyrannical tendencies.
'He is very cerebral but also quite aggressive in his methods. Some people think a recent promotion has gone to his head'.
'Meanwhile, Naga, who is passionate about speaking up if she believes something is wrong, has spoken to people who are unhappy.
'Formal complaints have been lodged, so the BBC has to be seen to act.
'The probe has really divided the newsroom'.
More recently BBC Breakfast staff have reportedly compared the studio to 'the Hunger Games' after an internal review of bullying and misconduct allegations was opened into the show.
BBC Breakfast has been on our screens since 2000 and Fredani joined the show in 2019.
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