Rachel Burden has announced she is leaving BBC Radio 5 Live after 15 years, as it was revealed she and her co-host, Rick Edwards, are being replaced. Naga Munchetty, known for BBC Breakfast, will become the new co-presenter of 5 Live Breakfast, taking over the station's flagship morning programme five days a week from January 2027.
Departure announcement
Current 5 Live Breakfast hosts Rachel and Rick announced on the Tuesday morning programme that they will step down in December 2026. Rachel, who also left BBC Breakfast after 11 years earlier this year, will move to present the weekday mid-morning programme from 11am to 2pm on Mondays to Wednesdays. Rick will continue to front Fighting Talk on Saturday mornings and remain a key part of the station's output.
Rachel's gratitude
Following the announcement, Rachel took to Instagram to share news of her departure and express her gratitude. She wrote: "I am incredibly lucky. For the last 15 years I have woken up every morning and gone to work to do a job I love with a team of people who are talented and funny and kind. I can count on one hand the number of days I didn’t want to be there."
She added: "I have got to partner up with two people who have changed my lives - @nickyaacampbell - my mentor and broadcasting inspiration, and @rickedwards1 - who taught me you could put a Pringles lid on a gu pot. To get (well) paid to do a job like that, where I still get to pick the kids up from school most days and sit around the dinner table with them. That is incredibly lucky."
New beginnings
Rachel continued: "But I can’t do this job forever. At some stage we all need to push ourselves off our butts, however lovely and comfy the seat, and change things up, do something new. So - my time on 5live breakfast - along with Rick - will be drawing to a close at the end of the year. My luck hasn’t run out - I get to stay at 5live and start a new show on my own in 2027, taking up the 11-2 slot on weekdays."
She also mentioned a family move: "We are moving en masse - three generations - to set up base in Devon. So I will be splitting my time between the south west and the north west."
Rick's reaction
Rick Edwards said in a statement: "The annoying part for me is that five years on a breakfast show is a decent stint, but next to Rachel’s 15-year marathon, it does look inconsequential. I’ll really miss our wonderful audience, I’ll miss the fantastic team, I’ll miss regularly eating cake before dawn, but most of all I’ll miss Rach - a colleague who has become a friend, and also a mentor, because she’s so much older than me." He added that he is looking forward to not waking up at 3:45am and to vaping without fear of violent recrimination.
Station praise
Heidi Dawson, Controller of BBC Radio 5 Live, said: "Naga is one of the UK's most accomplished broadcasters and a hugely valued member of the 5 Live family. We're delighted she'll be bringing her journalistic rigour, curiosity and energy to 5 Live Breakfast." Of Rachel, she added: "Rachel has been a huge voice on 5 Live Breakfast for many years, bringing wit, intelligence and sharp journalism to the programme every morning. We're thrilled that our audiences will be able to continue hearing her on her new show."
Dawson also praised the partnership: "Together, Rachel and Rick have formed one of radio's most popular partnerships. They have informed, entertained and accompanied millions each morning. Rick remains a hugely important part of 5 Live, he will continue to front Fighting Talk, as well as playing a key role across our sport and news output."
