Naga Munchetty, a familiar face on BBC One's Breakfast for 17 years, is set to leave the television program to take on a new role as the host of Radio 5 Live's breakfast show. The transition, which marks a significant shift in her broadcasting career, will begin in January.

Munchetty first joined BBC Breakfast as a finance reporter and has been a main presenter for the past 12 years. She currently juggles her duties on the TV show, presenting three days a week, with hosting Radio 5 Live's mid-morning program for another three days. The move to Radio 5 Live will see her present the breakfast show five days a week.

"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," Munchetty stated. She described the opportunity to present a flagship program on 5 Live as "simply too good to pass up" and expressed her eagerness to dedicate her full focus and energy to the new challenge.

John McAndrew, the BBC's director of live and daily news, acknowledged that Munchetty would be "hugely missed by the millions of viewers who've welcomed her into their homes each week." He added that he was "very pleased that Naga will be staying with the BBC" and wished her well in her new role.

The BBC has not yet announced Munchetty's replacement on BBC Breakfast. Meanwhile, the current hosts of 5 Live Breakfast, Rachel Burden and Rick Edwards, have announced their departure from the program. Burden will be moving to host Munchetty's former Monday-to-Wednesday mid-morning slot on 5 Live, while Edwards will continue as the host of the weekend sport quiz "Fighting Talk."

Burden, who has hosted 5 Live Breakfast for 15 years, stated it was "time for a change" and expressed excitement about launching her new show. Edwards humorously noted he would miss the "wonderful audience," the team, and Burden, whom he described as a "colleague who has become a friend, and also a mentor." He also looked forward to "not waking up at 3.45am, and vaping without fear of violent recrimination."

Munchetty is known for interviewing a wide range of prominent figures during her tenure on BBC Breakfast, including politicians and celebrities such as Hillary Clinton, Michelle Obama, Sir Keir Starmer, Sir David Attenborough, and Sir Rod Stewart. She also participated in the BBC's "Strictly Come Dancing" in 2016.

According to the latest BBC accounts, Munchetty is among the corporation's higher-paid presenters, earning approximately £360,000 annually. Her move to a daily breakfast slot on Radio 5 Live presents a substantial commitment, requiring significant preparation and broadcast hours.