The strain of a formal investigation over bullying accusations appeared to be taking its toll on BBC Breakfast’s Naga Munchetty today as she left the studio accompanied by a security guard.

Dressed in a long green puffer-style coat with the hood up over her head, the veteran journalist, 50, kept her head bowed as she left Media City after Saturday’s show.

She was escorted by a man in a plain blue suit with a BBC lanyard and an earpiece.

Ms Munchetty appeared grim-faced as she left the studio, having filmed the latest episode of BBC Breakfast, which she has fronted for 15 years.

But she now faces an uncertain future after the corporation instigated a formal investigation following accusations of bullying against her.

In August, TV sources claimed several colleagues had logged concerns over her ‘hard’ and ‘bullying’ behaviour on the breakfast show, as well as her Radio 5 Live show.

At the time bosses launched a review, but this has now been escalated to a formal probe after further complaints were made, according to reports.

The TV host is paid between £355,000 and £359,999 a year for BBC Breakfast and fronting her Radio 5 show.

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The strain of a formal investigation over bullying accusations appeared to be taking its toll on BBC Breakfast’s Naga Munchetty today as she left the studio accompanied by a security guard

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Ms Munchetty appeared grim-faced as she left the studio, having filmed the latest episode of BBC Breakfast, which she has fronted for 15 years

 BBC Breakfast host Naga Munchetty faces ‘formal investigation’ after bullying allegations

An insider told The Sun: ‘The Naga situation has been an albatross around Breakfast’s neck since June when the endemic bullying at Media City was first exposed by The Sun.

‘Whilst others have been cleared, the review on Naga has done the opposite – with further complaints against her.

‘They had no choice but to take things from the slightly softer ‘under review’ to formal investigation. Of course, her detractors are gossiping that the timing with Deborah’s departure isn’t exactly a coincidence.’

Ms Munchetty’s conduct first came under scrutiny when BBC Breakfast’s editor Richard Frediani reportedly took an extended period of leave, after an internal review of bullying and misconduct allegations was opened into the show.

In September it was reported that he had been cleared of wrongdoing and a formal investigation would not be launched – something presenting duo Ms Munchetty and Charlie Stayt were said to be furious about.

Meanwhile Ms Munchetty was reportedly spoken to by executives after a junior staffer accused the journalist of bullying them.

She was also allegedly hauled into a meeting after she made a sex jibe during an ad break in 2022 while hosting her radio show.

The presenter is believed to have used a crude slang term for a sex act and reportedly asked a colleague if they had ever done it.

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Naga Munchetty, who is facing a formal bullying probe, with co-host Charlie Stayt on today’s BBC Breakfast

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Dressed in a long green puffer-style coat with the hood up over her head, the veteran journalist, 50, kept her head bowed as she left Media City after Saturday’s show

Her co-host Charlie Stayt is said to remain ‘under review’.

The pair have been in the spotlight in recent months over alleged tensions in their partnership. 

Ms Munchetty hosts BBC Breakfast on Thursdays to Saturdays with Mr Stayt, while Jon Kay and Sally Nugent anchor the programme from the start of the week.

It comes at a difficult time for the BBC after director general Tim Davie and Deborah Turness, chief executive of BBC News, both quit last week after it was revealed a BBC Panorama documentary had misled viewers by splicing together two different parts of a speech by Donald Trump on the day of the Capital riot in 2021.

The BBC has repeatedly declined to comment on the allegations, saying: ‘We do not comment on individual HR matters.’