NAGA Munchetty jumped at the chance to quit BBC Breakfast for a fulltime gig on Radio 5Live after job-hunting for over a year.
The red sofa host, 51, has faced scrutiny from viewers and bosses alike after a BBC investigation into her conduct, including allegations of bullying, crude sexual remarks and claims she reprimanded an intern for incorrectly spreading Marmite on her toast.
The Sun can reveal that that probe has now been quietly closed, as Naga announced her new role on 5Live Breakfast.
Her red sofa co-host Charlie Stayt will remain on BBC Breakfast, but insiders say bosses now see glamorous Sally Nugent as the future of the flagship show.
A source said: “It’s been a torrid year for Naga so when the job came up on 5Live it was an easy, personal decision to make the move.
“Even away from the probe, she faces endless scrutiny from viewers over every comment or gesture and that made the 5Live role all the more attractive.”
The Sun first reported on tension between Munchetty and her boss, show editor Richard Frediani, in June last year.
Naga had held talks with both Sky and LBC about moving to a rival network but she failed to land either gig.
Sources suggest her “car crash” interview with Kemi Badenoch in April 2025 was behind LBC bosses losing interest.
A source said: “Bosses were thrilled with Sally Nugent’s recent interview with Nigel Farage and called down to say they wanted Sally covering more chats of that ilk. That used to be Naga’s domain.
“It was obviously compared to the Kemi car crash from Naga.
“Everyone sees Sally as the future of the show and more generally the vibe is all about positivity for a new chapter.”
Claims against Naga in the last year include allegations of bullying a junior staffer in late 2024.
As part of the bullying behaviour, the star is said to have falsely accused the woman of stealing, which led to a closed-door showdown.
Claims also include laying into an intern for incorrectly spreading Marmite on her toast.
She was also reprimanded for another incident, which is said to have taken place in the BBC 5Live studio.
Naga is said to have used a crude slang term for a sex act during an off-air break — before asking a colleague if they had done it.
The comment became widely known at 5Live, with one source describing the 2022 incident as: “Crass, inappropriate and wildly unprofessional. The person felt embarrassed.”
Despite being told off by bosses, no formal action is thought to have been taken.
A third source said: “Naga will be with a more senior team on her new show – it’s of course a smaller team, so generally everyone is of a more senior level – which is another bonus of the move for bosses as past allegations mostly concerned more junior members of the team.”
Naga will take the helm from the current 5 Live Breakfast hosts, Rachel Burden and Rick Edwards, who are stepping down in December.
She will continue presenting BBC Breakfast until beginning the new gig in January.
Naga said of the venture: “I’m thrilled to be joining 5 Live Breakfast in January. Live news, great conversations and connecting with audiences are what I love most about broadcasting, and 5 Live does all of that brilliantly.
“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.
“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.”
Many of the claims against Naga were raised as part of the BBC’s Call It Out scheme – an initiative set up in the aftermath of the scandal over former MasterChef presenters Gregg Wallace and John Torode.