Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt return to BBC Breakfast amid bullying probe - and first episode back is a total car crash

Daily Mail​

4 hours ago

Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt have returned to BBC Breakfast for the first time since the show's bullying scandal captured headlines.
The presenter duo typically host the daily news programme from Thursday to Saturday.
Thursday (June 19) marked their first on-screen appearance since a reported bullying probe was launched into the crisis-hit programme, with much of the upset centred around its editor Richard Frediani.
However, the episode didn't go smoothly and seemed to suffer from some technical issues.
After Heston Blumenthal featured on the show discussing his bipolar disorder diagnosis, Naga pointed viewers to where they can find support about similar issues.
Then, Charlie appeared to be cut off as he began to introduce the programme into the next segment.
'Time now to get the news, travel...' Charlie said, before his mic seemed to stop and the camera panned away.
Other issues happened during the show too, including microphone problems during the weather forecast and Joe Pike's sound stopping entirely.
To make matters worse, it is also the presenter's 63rd birthday, and the mishap didn't go unnoticed by some viewers.
One penned on X: 'Poor Charlie being cut off during the local news announcement, on his birthday too #bbcbreakfast.'
Another said: '#bbcbreakfast Looks like the interns have taken over the production room this morning..
'Sequencing issues, sound problems and cutting people off mid-flow...'
It comes as in April, MailOnline exclusively revealed some staff had expressed unhappiness with the show's bullish editor Richard Frediani, accusing him of being on occasion 'aggressive' and 'belittling' towards his underlings.
Meanwhile, it's being claimed by The Sun that tensions between two of Breakfast's hosts, Naga and Charlie, are threatening to explode, due to their opposing views behind the scenes.
It's thought that the show's staff are feeling increasingly 'uneasy' around boss Frediani if they are not a person he favours, and host Naga is reportedly 'at her wits end' over the tensions.
Sources also claim that Frediani feels he is 'untouchable' after the show scooped a BAFTA Television Award in May.
It's also being claimed that some staff avoid being left alone with him following an allegation last year that he physically shook a lower-ranking female editor, with the complaint upheld following a BBC investigation.
A source said: 'The probe into Fredi's bullying is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to BBC Breakfast. In reality, the smiles on the red sofa mask growing tension and an increasingly toxic culture, driven from the top down, with its unwitting presenters at the heart.
'Naga is incredibly approachable and friendly to everyone on set. Charlie is very professional and tries to disengage from any politics. But some stars, like Sally Nugent, are loved by Fredi, whereas others, like Naga and Charlie, are not.
'Frankly, he can be mildly terrifying if you're on the wrong side of him.'
A BBC spokesperson told the publication: '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.
The source went onto claim that some younger staff are choosing to 'keep their heads down and weather the storm' due to fears for their jobs.
A BBC spokesperson told the publication: '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.'
Breakfast airs from 6am on BBC One and is available to stream on iPlayer.