Rachel Burden struggled to hold back tears as she announced she and co-host Rick Edwards will leave BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast in December. Naga Munchetty, who recently departed BBC Breakfast, will take over the flagship morning programme from January 2027.
Emotional On-Air Announcement
Addressing listeners, Burden said: 'I have some news to share, with you, ah, I really need to try and keep it together. I said I'd keep it together! We (her and Rick) have been working together on 5 Live Breakfast for five years now, and I have been co-presenting this show for over 15 years.'
She added: 'And I have loved, I think, almost every single minute of it. But we have both been thinking a lot in recent months about what comes next, and I guess how we meet sort of shifting priorities in our lives.'
New Roles for Presenters
Burden clarified she is not leaving the station entirely, stating she was 'never leaving this place'. She will move to present the weekday mid-morning programme from 11am to 2pm, Monday to Wednesday. Edwards is stepping down but his future role has not been detailed.
Munchetty, already familiar to 5 Live listeners as the host of the mid-morning slot since 2021, expressed excitement: '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.'
