BBC Breakfast editor Richard Frediani has stepped away from his role for an extended period following a series of bullying allegations.
His break from the show comes as the BBC faces mounting scrutiny over the internal culture of one of its flagship programmes.
In March, Deadline reported that at least two formal misconduct complaints had been filed against Frediani, including a serious accusation that he physically shook a colleague during an interaction in the newsroom in 2024.
BBC presenter Naga Munchetty is also said to have raised concerns about Frediani’s conduct with senior figures within the broadcaster.
According to industry sources quoted by Deadline, staff had submitted multiple complaints, accusing Frediani of shouting, swearing and creating an intimidating working environment.
The allegations date back further than his time at the BBC.
Former colleagues at ITN have also reportedly described Frediani as a “bully,” echoing similar claims of inappropriate workplace behaviour.
Frediani, who has been in charge of BBC Breakfast since 2019 and more recently also took on the News at One, has not responded publicly to the claims.
But the BBC has said it treats all complaints about workplace conduct “extremely seriously.”
A spokesperson for the broadcaster said: “We do not comment on individual cases, but we take all complaints about conduct at work extremely seriously and will not tolerate behaviour that is not in line with our values.
“We have robust processes in place and would encourage any staff with concerns to raise them directly with us so they can be addressed.”
In a further sign of unrest, presenter Tina Daheley is understood to have expressed reluctance over joining the News at One team, which Frediani also oversees.
Initially announced as one of the programme’s presenters ahead of its move from London to Salford in May, Daheley has since remained in her Radio 2 newsreader role in the capital.
She remains in her role on Radio 2 and was said to be “very cross” after her photo was omitted from a BBC press release about schedule changes, although there is no suggestion Frediani was behind the oversight.
Earlier this year, The Times reported that Frediani had a strained relationship with Breakfast presenters Charlie Stayt and Munchetty.
A senior figure at the BBC's Salford studios claimed: “Fredi has no relationship with Charlie and Naga, which is weird when they are half of his frontline presenting roster.”
Frediani most recently appeared publicly at the 2024 BAFTA TV Awards, where BBC Breakfast received an award for its coverage of the Post Office Horizon IT scandal.
