Co-host announced for Naga Munchetty’s BBC Radio 5 Live show

Casey Cooper-Fiske, Press Association Senior Entertainment Reporter

Welsh broadcaster Steffan Powell has been announced as the co-host of Naga Munchetty’s new BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast show.

The presenter, who is currently co-hosting 5 Live Breakfast on Fridays and Sundays, will take on the role in January next year.

He said: “I’m delighted, thrilled, excited, I really could go on, BBC Radio 5 Live holds a special place in my heart.

“It’s one of the reasons I trained to be a journalist, and to be trusted all these years later to look after its Breakfast show full-time is a privilege.

“I can’t wait to get started, and to sit alongside a genuine legend of British journalism every day is going to be a joy.

“Who better to be having a morning cup of tea with while tackling the big issues than Naga Munchetty?

“Together, Naga and I will put listeners first, cut through the noise and try to make sense of what’s going on in the world.

“There is so much happening at home, abroad, and on people’s social media feeds.

“We’ll focus on the stories that matter most and help listeners feel better informed about what it all means to them.

“There are some impressively large shoes to fill, but I’m excited about the challenge.”

Before joining 5 Live, Powell spent eight years as a presenter and senior reporter at BBC Radio 1’s Newsbeat, and he has also worked on Welsh language TV channel S4C.

Richard Maddock, head of BBC Radio 5 Live, said: “Steffan has been a hugely valued part of the 5 Live team for many years now and has a fantastic relationship with our listeners.

“He is a brilliant broadcaster with sharp journalistic instincts, infectious enthusiasm and a genuine ability to connect with audiences across the whole of the UK.

“Whether he’s reporting on a major news story or a big sporting event, he brings warmth, intelligence and curiosity to everything he does.

“I’m delighted he’ll be joining Naga on Breakfast and helping lead our flagship programme into its next chapter.”

The pair’s programme will launch in mid-January 2027, after current Breakfast co-hosts Rachel Burden and Rick Edwards step down in December.

Burden will present a new mid-morning programme from 11am to 2pm from Monday to Wednesday, while Edwards will continue to present Fighting Talk on Saturdays and take part in the station’s sport and news coverage, including the Football Daily podcast.