BBC Radio 5 Live’s Rick Edwards breaks silence on breakfast exit in emotional statement as Naga Munchetty takes over

BBC Radio 5 Live’s Rick Edwards has broken his silence on leaving the breakfast show in an emotional statement shared online. It was revealed this week that Naga Munchetty will take over from Rachel Burden and Rick Edwards on the Breakfast show in December. BBC Radio 5 Live’s Rick Edwards has broken his silence on leaving the breakfast show Credit: BBC He gushed over his co-host Rachel Burden and shared a moving statement Credit: PA Rick has now spoken out in the wake of the news of him being replaced by Naga, with him sharing a touching message on Instagram. Sharing a slew of snaps from his time on the show with Rachel, Rick penned: “First things first – I HAVE AGED CONSIDERABLY SINCE THAT FIRST PHOTO, GOOD GRIEF. Sign up for the TV newsletter Thank you! “It does feel a bit premature to post this because, mercifully, Rach and I will still be on air together for a few more months, but given the announcement yesterday – we’re leaving @bbc5live Breakfast at the end of the year – I am already thinking about how much I will miss this lady,” he emotionally wrote. “This smart, funny, warm, kind, brilliant, incisive, speed-walking, vape-hating lady (with an eccentric approach to baking). “I started the breakfast show as a fan of hers, and will end it as a super-fan, and super-friend,” Rick said, swooning over his sweet bond with Rachel. He went on: “Spending time with her every morning has been such a joy. We giggle even more off air than we do on air (which is arguably too much). “We did a park run with a national treasure. We got sledged by cricketing royalty. “We were immortalised by a caricaturist who I don’t think had ever seen our faces. We got through 5 (five) Prime Ministers, one of whom I interviewed with a hole in the seat of my trousers. Most read in TV Rick and Rachel will no longer host Radio 5 Live Breakfast from December Credit: BBC 5 Live Naga Munchetty will be taking over from Rick and Rachel Credit: BBC “We created the much-coveted Up Down Quiz travel coffee cup. We tried and failed to eat a Terry’s chocolate orange in under 57 seconds. “We played a game of backgammon live on the show. We enjoyed Nice People Doing Nice Things at 6.55am. We won an Aria!” Rick then concluded: “I’ve absolutely loved it.” It comes after it was revealed that Naga had quit BBC Breakfast after 17 years. The star had faced accusations of “bullying” junior staffers on the BBC show just last year. Meanwhile, Naga is already a familiar voice on Radio 5 Live, having presented the station’s weekday mid-morning programme since 2021. She said of her new venture: “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.” Comment now