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Daily Record
3 days ago
- Health
- Daily Record
BBC Breakfast's Naga Munchetty shares real name as she admits reason she hates it
Naga Munchetty, who has been a regular face on BBC Breakfast since 2009, has opened up about her struggles with her unique name, as well as her decision not to have children BBC Breakfast stalwart Naga Munchetty has lit up our television screens for nearly 20 years, yet the story behind her name 'Naga' remains unknown to many. Her full name at birth was Subha Nagalakshmi Munchetty-Chendriah, and she earned the moniker 'Naga' after her mother had several snake-related dreams during her pregnancy, with 'Naga' meaning 'cobra' in Sanskrit. In conversation with Saga Magazine, she opened up about how challenging it was to have such a distinct name growing up, recalling schoolyard taunts: "I've embraced it now, but when I was younger, it was all about assimilation and it was an unusual name. "l'd get people asking: 'Oh, does she nag a lot?' all the time – and there were some awful racist variations as well." At one point, to escape the racist remarks, Naga considered changing her name to Nadia. After joining the BBC, she endured more racism from online bullies who dismissed her success, accusing her of being a "token" appointment. Naga admits that, despite her thick skin, discriminating comments can still sting: "Even though you think you're not going to let these remarks influence you, of course they hurt." More recently, Naga bravely spoke out about her private health struggles. In 2022, she revealed her diagnosis with adenomyosis, a condition where the inner lining of the womb breaks through the muscle wall of the uterus, causing significant discomfort. Naga has opened up about her long-standing battle with a condition that causes severe menstrual symptoms, including heavy bleeding and debilitating cramps, which went undiagnosed for years by medical professionals. She recounts the harrowing experience that led to her diagnosis, involving two weeks of relentless bleeding and pain so severe she had to have her husband James call for an ambulance. In discussing the challenges of intimate relationships, Naga reflects on the importance of timing when revealing such personal struggles to a partner: "I'm very lucky because you have to pick your moment with partners to tell them about everything you go through. "You don't want to do it on the first date, or the first time you sleep together." Naga also touches on the decision she and James made early in their relationship not to have children, which ultimately led her to choose surgical sterilisation: "We liked the life we had and we wanted to pursue that life," she explains. She candidly speaks about the realities of parenthood, describing it as "expensive, it's exhausting and a commitment for life." The NHS explains that adenomyosis, where the lining of the womb (uterus) starts growing into the muscle in its wall, is more commonly diagnosed in women over the age of 30, and can affect anyone who has periods. The NHS website also explains the difference between adenomyosis and endometriosis. While adenomyosis involves the lining of the womb growing into the muscle in the wall of the uterus, endometriosis is a different condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows in other places, such as the ovaries or fallopian tubes. Initially met with resistance from her mother, Naga shares that her mum has now accepted their choice and is immensely proud of her daughter's career achievements.
Daily Mirror
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Naga Munchetty's husband said 'she cannot move' after BBC star collapsed in pain
BBC Breakfast presenter Naga Munchetty has revealed how her husband reacted the moment she was struck by an excruciating health issue BBC Breakfast's Naga Munchetty has opened up about how her husband was forced to react to her health emergency that left her in excruciating pain. Th 50-year-old presenter had just returned from the theatre and was at home with her husband James Haggar when she suddenly collapsed in bed, writhing in agony due to intense abdominal pain. Hours into the ordeal, with James unable to drive as he'd been drinking, they were forced to call an ambulance. Recounting the incident to Saga Magazine, she relayed her husband's three heartbreaking words to the emergency operator. Naga said he simply stated: "She cannot move." Naga sought help from a private gynaecologist and received a diagnosis of adenomyosis, a painful condition where the inner lining of the uterus breaks through the muscle wall. Suffering symptoms like heavy bleeding and the kind of debilitating pain she experienced that night, Naga's condition is not uncommon, affecting around one in 10 UK women, particularly those in their 40s and 50s. In her interview with Saga, Naga praised her husband's support throughout her struggle with adenomyosis, reports Bristol Live. She said James has been "really understanding" and reflected on the importance of timing when discussing personal health issues with a partner. She told Saga: "I'm very lucky because you have to pick your moments with partners to tell them about everything you go through - you don't want to do it on the first date or the first time you sleep together. "Many of the women I speak to have wonderful husbands, but they'd had to learn as adults about what their partners were going through, because we're not taught any of it in school." Naga also shared that she underwent surgical sterilisation as she and her husband made an early decision not to have children. The BBC Breakfast star confessed they "liked the life" they led and her mother eventually understood her choice. Naga has been a familiar face on the BBC Breakfast sofa since 2014. She also took part in Strictly Come Dancing in 2016, where she was eliminated in week four after being partnered with Pasha Kovalev. Born in London to parents from India and Mauritius, the presenter's birth name is Subha Nagalakshmi Munchetty-Chendriah. However, her mother began calling her Naga - Sanskrit for 'cobra' - due to a dream about snakes during her pregnancy with Naga. The telly star confessed she disliked her name growing up but has since learned to "embrace" it. However she also revealed that she faced "racist" comments from people about her name. Speaking to Saga, she said: "I've embraced it now, but when I was younger it was all about assimilation and it was an unusual name. I'd get a lot of people asking: 'Oh, does she nag a lot?' all the time and there were some awful racist variations as well."
Wales Online
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Inside Death Valley star Timothy Spall's life from cancer diagnosis to famous son
Inside Death Valley star Timothy Spall's life from cancer diagnosis to famous son BBC viewers will see actor Timothy Spall take on the role of John Chapel in BBC's latest comedy-drama, Death Valley. This month, BBC has launched a new comedy drama which is set to have the nation laughing. Death Valley, a murder mystery set in Wales, follows an unlikely crime-solving partnership. Retired actor John Chapel (played by Timothy Spall) will have to team up with Detective Sergeant Janie Mallowan (Gwyneth Keyworth). When asked what appealed to him about starring in the comedy crime drama, Timothy said: "There's an originality and an emotional grounding to the characters. They are both bad at recognising their own faults but excellent at pointing out each other's and those clashes are investigated in an entertaining way. "Their unusual bond becomes strong and mutually dependent, even though it has significant and challenging ups and downs. It was also nice to be asked by the creative team to bring my own thoughts and ideas to John's character and how it should be developed." With Death Valley airing this month, we're taking a look into the actor's life beyond the BBC show. Devastating diagnosis Timothy was fearful when he was given his cancer diagnosis Article continues below Back in 1996, Timothy was given the devastating diagnosis that he had leukaemia at the age of 39. Speaking about the troubling time, the actor told Saga Magazine he didn't think he'd make it. Timothy said: "We had three kids, and out of the blue, I was diagnosed with a life-threatening disease called acute myeloid leukaemia. When I was told I had it, I got down on my knees and asked God to spare me for my family. "There was a time when they thought I might not make it. The only really unbearable thing was what my family would do if I went? I wouldn't be there to look after them, and that was my job as a husband and father." The actor confessed the only unbearable thing for him was the thought of what dying would do to his loved ones. Timothy then underwent two rounds of chemotherapy and, within three months, was given the incredible news that he was in remission and cancer-free. Since then, the actor shared he tries to manage his stress levels as he told The Independent in 2006: "I didn't know what made me ill but stress had something to do with it and the point is now to head off stress at the pass. It made me aware of things and become more selective. I am less worried about employment." Famous family Timothy's son has followed in his acting footsteps Timothy Spall has been married to his wife Shane since 1981, and the couple share three children together. Shane is an author and has published two memoirs, one in relation to her husband's recovery from leukaemia and the other focusing on their journey around Britain on their barge. The duo also appeared on-screen together, as they were seen on BBC Four's Timothy Spall: Back at Sea in 2011, when they travelled around the British Isles. However, it looks as though acting runs in the family as one of Timothy's children has followed in his footsteps. Rafe has appeared in a range of well-known films over the years, including The Big Short, Life of Pi, Hot Fuzz and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. Being 'skint' Auf Wiedersehen, Pet actors Jimmy Nail, Timothy Spall, Christopher Fairbank, Noel Clarke, Tim Healy, Kevin Whately and Pat Roach Timothy has an impressive career catalogue, having starred in the likes of Harry Potter, Sweeney Todd, The King's Speech and Mr Turner. However, despite being a well-known actor, the work wasn't always regular. Speaking to Big Issue, he confessed: "Being famous and unemployed wasn't very nice. I remember sitting in the pub and somebody tapped me on the shoulder saying, D'on't look so miserable, not with all your money!' "I was skint. Auf Wiedersehen, Pet had happened, which became so big. It was uncomfortable at times. I had a young family and was out of work for a long period. "So I would tell my younger self, stick to your guns, take every role on its own value." Article continues below Death Valley is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
Wales Online
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Death Valley's Timothy Spall's 'pain and horror' over health scare
Death Valley's Timothy Spall's 'pain and horror' over health scare The award-winning actor said his leukaemia diagnosis was 'a shock' Timothy Spall stars as John Chapel in the new BBC comedy crime dram Death Valley Actor and BAFTA winner, Timothy Spall has shared his harrowing experience of facing leukaemia, revealing there was a point where he feared he "might not make it". The 68-year-old will star in BBC's new comedy crime drama, Death Valley, where he plays retired TV detective John Chapel. The esteemed actor, is celebrated for his decades of work on TV and film, notably his roles as Barry in '80s classic Auf Wiedersehen, Pet and Peter Pettigrew in the Harry Potter series as well as his performance in the 2014 film Mr Turner. After receiving a diagnosis of the life limiting condition, he described the prospect of leaving his family as "unbearable". In an intimate discussion with Saga Magazine, Spall recounted the moment he received his leukaemia diagnosis in 1996, and the ensuing "horror" at the thought of dying and its impact on his family. For the latest TV and showbiz gossip sign up to our newsletter . He said: "I was 39 and we had three kids, and out of the blue I was diagnosed with a life-threatening disease called acute myeloid leukaemia. When I was told I had it, I got down on my knees and asked God to spare me for my family." Timothy continued, reflecting on the darkest times: "There was a time when they thought I might not make it. The only really unbearable thing was what my family would do if I went? I wouldn't be there to look after them, and that was my job as a husband and father." The English actor is happily married to writer Shane Spall and is the proud father of three children: Rafe, Pascale, and Mercedes. Article continues below Spall delved deeper into his emotional turmoil: "The pain and the horror of what me dying would do to the people I loved was the only unbearable side of it. The rest I could take. "One day, between treatments, the doctors had done tests and they thought I'd relapsed. A massive mushroom-type thing had grown in my lung. I was about to go and have full body radiation and a bone marrow transplant knowing there were things in my body that'd potentially kill me. That morning, I woke up and thought, sod this, I'm not going to die." When discussing his relationship with his wife of 44 years, he said that the pair were inseparable and practically joined at the hip. He explained: "We got married four months after we met. I think there is a lot to be said for marrying someone you don't know. I was just in love with her. She is also my best mate." Timothy and his wife, also share a love for Wales. His new venture, Death Valley, was filmed and is set in South Wales which the actor called "extremely beautiful." He said: "I have worked in Wales a couple of times, and my wife and I also went all along the coast on our boat. I know every port along the way, so I've spent a bit of time there, the coast is so beautiful." Timothy continued: "Cardiff is a lovely, very friendly, and welcoming place. We were based in Cardiff, but you are half an hour away from the most exquisite countryside." Article continues below The leading actor, who plays TV detective John Chapel, even calls it "god's country" at one point in the series. Death Valley will air on Sunday, May 25 at 8.15pm on BBC One, however the whole boxset will be launching on BBC iPlayer at the same time.
Daily Mirror
22-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
BBC Breakfast's Naga Munchetty issues 'hurt' admission as she shares 'real name'
BBC Breakfast presenter Naga Munchetty has been a fixture on our TV screens for nearly two decades, but many people don't realise that her first name is actually a nickname BBC Breakfast's Naga Munchetty has been a familiar face on TV for nearly two decades, yet many viewers are unaware that Naga is actually a nickname given to her by her mum. Born Subha Nagalakshmi Munchetty-Chendriah in February 1975, she was quickly dubbed Naga, which means 'cobra' in Sanskrit, after her mum had snake dreams during her pregnancy. Speaking to Saga Magazine, she confessed that she wasn't fond of her distinctive name as a child, and was often teased at school. She said: "I've embraced it now, but when I was younger, it was all about assimilation and it was an unusual name. "l'd get people asking, 'Oh, does she nag a lot?' all the time and there were some awful racist variations as well." She disclosed that she once contemplated changing her name to the more English-sounding Nadia to avoid racial slurs. Naga also endured further racist abuse upon joining the BBC, with some online trolls accusing her of being a "token" hire, reports the Manchester Evening News. She says these days the insults are less frequent, and while she's learned to brush them off, Naga concedes they still hurt. "Even though you think you're not going to let these remarks influence you, of course they hurt," she said. Naga's chronic medical condition is harder to overlook. In 2022, she was diagnosed with adenomyosis, a painful disorder where the womb's lining grows into its muscle walls. She revealed that she had been enduring this condition, which triggers extremely heavy periods, nausea and excruciating cramps for many years prior, but doctors had failed to correctly pinpoint the problem. She only received an accurate diagnosis after suffering from severe bleeding for two weeks and experiencing such intense pain that her husband James had to dial for an ambulance. She said: "I'm very lucky because you have to pick your moment with partners to tell them about everything you go through. You don't want to do it on the first date, or the first time you sleep together. "We liked the life we had and we wanted to pursue that life," she says. Naga added that parenthood is "expensive, it's exhausting and a commitment for life." She admits her mum initially struggled with the decision, but has now come to terms with it. Naga says that her mum's incredibly proud of her career.
