EXCLUSIVE Naga Munchetty tells BRYONY GORDON doctors accused her of 'having too much sex' when she was treated for thrush - as she takes aim at medical misogyny
Podcast All episodes
Play on Apple Spotify
On the latest episode of the Mail's 'The Life of Bryony' podcast, BBC Breakfast presenter Naga Munchetty candidly discussed her battle with adenomyosis and expressed frustration with the dismissing of women's pain by the healthcare system.
Ms Munchetty, 50, publicly revealed her diagnosis back in 2023, after years of having chronic pain mismanaged and misdiagnosed by doctors.
Adenomyosis is a relatively common condition where the uterine lining, shed during menstruation, grows into the muscle wall of the uterus, causing painful and prolonged periods.
The journalist recently released a book on the gender healthcare gap, chronicling her experience and the experience of hundreds of other women who feel their pain was disregarded or downplayed.
'We are taught to normalise it,' the presenter told Mail columnist Bryony Gordon.
She recalled other occasions on which she had cystitis and thrush but was accused by doctors of 'having too much sex or not being hygienic enough'.
'My mum and dad were nurses. I have a great respect for people in healthcare. I am not bashing anyone, it's the system.
'I find the gatekeeping of medicines, contraceptives, and pain relief just astonishing. The rules that say women can only have pain relief if something is 'really painful': as if having your cervix opened with tweezers is not going to freaking hurt.'
Medical misogyny is a catchall term used to denote the unfair or prejudicial treatment of female patients.
This could include the lack of funding for treatments for female-specific health conditions; delayed diagnoses or a generally dismissive attitude towards the severity of symptoms caused by sexual and reproductive health issues.
Ms Munchetty recalled a night when a particularly bad flare-up of adenomyosis forced her husband to call an ambulance.
She was unable to walk or speak and kept feinting because of the intensity of the pain.
'I was very scared that the pain was not going to stop', Ms Munchetty said.
'I didn't know what to do. The doctor told me that the next time it happens, I should try taking a couple of paracetamol.
'I was so angry that all I could say was: 'Right, thanks.'
Naga Munchetty: 'Why do you think there aren't enough at the top of business? It's because they've got too much sh*t to deal with that's being ignored.' Listen now
Based on her protracted journey to diagnosis, the BBC presenter offered Bryony some tips for confronting medical misogyny
Ms Munchetty instructed: 'Know what's wrong with you. I don't mean a diagnosis but know what isn't right.
'When your life is being negatively impacted by something – write it down. Keep a diary.
'Your specialist wants to help you. They love puzzles and coming to conclusions. But they can't if it's all so vague. Go in armed with as much information as you can give them.
'Don't be afraid to do your own research.'
In explaining her reasons for wanting to write the book, aptly named, 'It's Probably Nothing', Ms Munchetty appealed for medical misogyny to be taken more seriously.
She declared: 'If we're not advocating for the women in our lives who are unable or too unwell to advocate for themselves, we are losing out on brilliant women in the workplace, brilliant mothers, daughters, and partners.
'Why do you think there aren't enough at the top of business? It's because they've got too much sh*t to deal with that's being ignored.'
To listen to the full, empowering interview with Naga Munchetty, listen to the latest Life of Bryony now, wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes are released every Monday and Friday.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Daily Mail
Naga Munchetty reveals why she'll NEVER wear white on BBC Breakfast as she prepares for TV return amid bullying probe
Naga Munchetty has revealed the strict wardrobe rule that dictates her BBC Breakfast outfits. The presenter, 50, shared with host Ateh Jewel on HELLO! Magazine's Second Act podcast about how she handles her adenomyosis. Naga lived with painful heavy bleeding, vomiting, fainting and severe aching every two and a half weeks for 32 years before a private doctor finally gave her a diagnosis in 2022. Adenomyosis is a condition where the lining of the womb (uterus) starts growing into the muscle in the wall of the womb. It can affect one in 10 women, as per the NHS. Naga described the condition as the 'evil twin of endometriosis'. 'I now take medication to control, suppress the production of my hormones so that these don't flare, so I don't have this pain and so I don't bleed,' Naga said. The BBC Breakfast presenter (right), shared with host Ateh Jewel on HELLO! Magazine's Second Act podcast about how she handles her adenomyosis. Pictured left, BBC co-presenter Charlie Stayt 'And when I used to bleed and I would be setting an alarm at night every three hours to wake up and change my period product.' The TV presenter explained she even based her wardrobe choices on her condition and revealed: 'I never wear white on the bottom.' 'For me, being anaemic was normal,' Naga shared, because of the amount of blood she would lose. 'I was just exhausted and because I thought it was normal, I'd been told it was normal,' Naga added. 'There is a real distinction, if something is common, it doesn't mean it's normal.' Elsewhere during the podcast, Naga revealed that she's come to terms with being criticised by 'fools' amid reports BBC has launched a bullying probe into its flagship Breakfast show. In April, MailOnline exclusively revealed some staff had expressed unhappiness with the show's bullish editor Richard Frediani, accusing him of being on occasion 'aggressive' and 'belittling' towards his underlings. Naga typically presents BBC Breakfast from Thursday to Saturday with Charlie Stayt, and since her last appearance on the show, it has been claimed that a bullying probe had been launched into the crisis-hit programme, with much of the upset centred around its editor Richard. It's being claimed by The Sun that tensions between two of Breakfast's hosts, Naga and Charlie, are threatening to explode, due to their opposing views behind the scenes. The extent of the toxic feud that's torn apart BBC Breakfast has reportedly been revealed, with sources branding the show's bullying probe 'the tip of the iceberg' It's thought that the show's staff are feeling increasingly 'uneasy' around boss Frediani if they are not a person he favours, and host Naga is reportedly 'at her wits end' over the tensions. Sources also claim that Frediani feels he is 'untouchable' after the show scooped a BAFTA Television Award in May. It's also being claimed that some staff avoid being left alone with him following an allegation last year that he physically shook a lower-ranking female editor, with the complaint upheld following a BBC investigation. A source said: 'The probe into Fredi's bullying is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to BBC Breakfast. In reality, the smiles on the red sofa mask growing tension and an increasingly toxic culture, driven from the top down, with its unwitting presenters at the heart. 'Naga is incredibly approachable and friendly to everyone on set. Charlie is very professional and tries to disengage from any politics. But some stars, like Sally Nugent, are loved by Fredi, whereas others, like Naga and Charlie, are not. 'Frankly, he can be mildly terrifying if you're on the wrong side of him.' The source went onto claim that some younger staff are choosing to 'keep their heads down and weather the storm' due to fears for their jobs. A BBC spokesperson told the publication: 'While we do not comment on individual cases, we take all complaints about conduct at work extremely seriously and will not tolerate behaviour that is not in line with our values. A BBC spokesperson told the publication: 'While we do not comment on individual cases, 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.' During the podcast, Naga also opened up about how her decision not to have children with her husband James Hagger initially caused a rift with her mother. The presenter underwent keyhole surgery to block her fallopian tubes in 2019 when she was in her mid-forties, having decided years prior with James that she didn't want children. Naga admitted the decision, which meant her parents wouldn't have grandchildren, caused problems between them. She told Ateh: 'My mum was devastated; she was from a different generation. (But she) gets it now. 'She is so proud of me and so happy to see me happy and thriving. 'It was a conscious (decision) and I am doing lots of other things and living a very fulfilling life. She doesn't think I've wasted a opportunity. My mum has evolved in that sense.' While she had initially tried the contraceptive coil, the procedure left her in agony and she was forced to remove it a year later. With the coil no longer an option and having decided she didn't want to be 'reliant on hormones or the regimen of the pill', she underwent surgery - a permanent form of contraception.
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Daily Mail
Naga Munchetty, 50, reveals how her decision not to have children with husband James Hagger caused a rift with her mother
Naga Munchetty has revealed how her decision not to have children with her husband James Hagger initially caused a rift with her mother. The presenter, 50, underwent keyhole surgery to block her fallopian tubes in 2019 when she was in her mid-forties, having decided years prior with James that she didn't want children. And during an appearance on HELLO! Magazine's Second Act podcast, Naga admitted the decision, which meant her parents wouldn't have grandchildren, caused problems between them. She told host Ateh Jewel: 'My mum was devastated; she was from a different generation. (But she) gets it now. 'She is so proud of me and so happy to see me happy and thriving. 'It was a conscious (decision) and I am doing lots of other things and living a very fulfilling life. She doesn't think I've wasted a opportunity. My mum has evolved in that sense.' While she had initially tried the contraceptive coil, the procedure left her in agony and she was forced to remove it a year later. With the coil no longer an option and having decided she didn't want to be 'reliant on hormones or the regimen of the pill', she underwent surgery - a permanent form of contraception. Naga, who recently released her book It's Probably Nothing, also discusses the crippling pain she suffered from adenomyosis, a gynaecological condition where the lining of the womb grows into the muscular wall of the womb. She was diagnosed in November 2022, but had been suffering with symptoms since the age of 15, taking 32 years for her to get a diagnosis. 'I was just exhausted. I thought it was normal, but there is a real distinction. If something is common, it doesn't mean it's normal. 'I thought all the other women in the world are coping and thriving. If I've dared to bring it up I am (perceived as) weak, so you push yourself even harder.' Elsewhere during the podcast, Naga revealed that she's come to terms with being criticised by 'fools' amid reports BBC has launched a bullying probe into its flagship Breakfast show. In April, MailOnline exclusively revealed some staff had expressed unhappiness with the show's bullish editor Richard Frediani, accusing him of being on occasion 'aggressive' and 'belittling' towards his underlings. What is Adenomyosis? Adenomyosis is a condition where the lining of the womb (uterus) starts growing into the muscle in the wall of the womb. It can affect one in 10 women. There are treatments that can help with any symptoms. Adenomyosis is more commonly diagnosed in women over the age of 30. It can affect anyone who has periods. Now, tensions are said to be 'rife' between hosts Naga and Charlie Stayt, 62, with her having already expressed her uneasiness about Frediani's behaviour. 'I came to terms with being a bit kinder to myself. It's ok, you are doing your best and you are doing ok. Some people bash you just because they want to. And I realised they were fools'. 'I'm still that person where there are things I want [to do] but I don't go for it because I don't know if I am deserving of it. Both of my parents were immigrants and believed in 'work hard and be good'. So you work hard to create your own opportunities'. On advice to her younger self she said: 'Stop caring about what everyone thinks. Stop modifying yourself, stop making yourself small to please people. I did too much of that'. Amid claims the probe has left the newsroom divided, a source told The Sun : 'To the viewer BBC Breakfast is a warm, gentle programme, one that is flourishing in the ratings. But beyond the cosy red sofa it is a very different picture. Several people — crew, production and even presenters — have been very unhappy'. 'Tension between Charlie and Naga is rife. Fredi is very old-school and has some slightly tyrannical tendencies. He is very cerebral but also quite aggressive in his methods. Some people think a recent promotion has gone to his head'. 'Meanwhile, Naga, who is passionate about speaking up if she believes something is wrong, has spoken to people who are unhappy. Formal complaints have been lodged, so the BBC has to be seen to act . The probe has really divided the newsroom'. They went on to claim that some believe Frediani, known as Fredi, is simply doing his job others think his methods are 'too tough' for 2025. MailOnline have contacted BBC, Naga and Charlie's reps for comment. It comes following a difficult few years for the BBC, with Huw Edwards pleading guilty to having indecent images of children, Jermaine Jenas axed after a sexting scandal and Gary Linekar axed over Anti Semitism claims. An insider told MailOnline in April that Naga is 'quite open' about her ill-feeling towards Frediani. Another said that she has an 'uneasy relationship' with him. The Mail revealed that displeasure was intensifying at the BBC's northern base in Salford, where staff have watched Frediani's rise - from Breakfast boss to arguably the most powerful BBC editor outside London - with growing disbelief. One said: 'You have to wonder what on earth is going on. The BBC claims to be this no-nonsense, woke, kind place - yet Fredi has been able to keep climbing the ladder. HR and his bosses are aware of [past] bullying claims against him. 'He's still allowed to hire, as we saw with Nina [Warhurst, who has just been appointed a regular presenter] this week, and presumably fire. He has so much power, it doesn't feel right at all.' The ordeal began, when media and entertainment industry news site Deadline alleged that Frediani was the subject of at least two misconduct complaints, including one from a woman who had her grievance upheld after claiming that the Breakfast editor physically shook her during a heated newsroom exchange last year. Others also came forward with their experiences. One person claimed to have witnessed an incident in 2019, during which a 'clearly angry' Richard backed a Breakfast colleague up against a wall and was 'jabbing his finger' as he voiced displeasure about that morning's show. The website reports that two sources alleged that Frediani is also known for 'screaming' down the phone at other BBC News desks and complaining about the quality of content they hand over to the Breakfast show. Whether these allegations were upheld or dismissed is not known. There was widespread internal dissatisfaction with Frediani in 2020, less than a year into his reign as editor of BBC Breakfast, after he was poached from ITV News. During the pandemic, MailOnline's Katie Hind was inundated with anonymous emails from staff at BBC Breakfast which said a series of complaints have been made to the corporation's management and its HR department about an 'intimidating and bullying' culture, which had led to long-term members of staff leaving their jobs. One employee, who wished to remain anonymous, said 'the whole atmosphere has become poisonous' and like a 'boys' club'. Again, it is unclear whether these allegations were upheld or dismissed. After the story was published in The Mail on Sunday, a number of people who had worked with Frediani got in. They said he was unpleasant to them during his tenure at ITV where he served as head of news. They were devastated - but not surprised - to hear that there were allegations that he had gone on to behave 'aggressively' in his new role. One wrote: 'I read your piece about Richard Frediani, recognising a lot of his character. I and others who suffered under him at ITV expected this would happen.'
Daily Record
15-06-2025
- Daily Record
Parents of week old baby who died at QEUH 'felt blamed' for their daughter's death
SUNDAY MAIL EXCLUSIVE: The family said they have faced a long wait for answers. The parents of a baby who died at Scotland's largest hospital have told how they felt blamed for the death of their daughter. Tiny Freya Murphy was born with significant brain and organ damage after a catalogue of failures at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow led to her death. Her parents Karen and Martin were devastated when they had to allow Freya's life support machines to be switched off when she was just seven days old. A Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) found staffing shortages, medics' failure to notice that the baby was in distress as well as a lack of screening for Group B Streptococcus were factors in the youngster's death. However the couple have said they have been left with more questions than answers after the FAI which took seven years to conclude. Dad Martin, 44, from Cambuslang, near Glasgow, said: 'It was the worst thing anyone could imagine happening to them. We left that hospital with no baby and no answers.' Karen, 40, says she had expressed the wish to have a natural birth in the early stages of her pregnancy. However she felt this was later 'held against her' when the FAI medics suggested her wishes as a reason why they failed to intervene sooner during her labour, claiming Karen had said she wanted 'minimal intervention'. She disputes this. Karen, a teacher of children with additional support needs, said: 'I wanted to have as natural a birth as possible which was noted down during the pregnancy and not mentioned again. 'Then suddenly it was mentioned by doctors during the FAI where it came across as an excuse or a defence for the fact they had made mistakes with Freya's birth as it was only mentioned years later. 'I would never, and did not, say I didn't want help. I wanted to do whatever was needed to get Freya out safely and I accepted whatever they told me at the hospital. It felt as if I was being blamed for what happened.' Karen arrived at the QEUH on June 20 2018, but was left in a waiting room for two hours before being checked by medics despite already being dilated and in active labour. She says she felt there was a 'lack of urgency' among staff. Karen had to endure an excruciating procedure to rotate Freya on a labour ward after medics realised the baby was in the wrong position for delivery but the theatre was occupied. Karen said: 'I had to have a manual rotation in the room because there was no other option. I had no pain relief, and it wasn't done in the theatre where it should have been. There was someone else in the theatre and there was only one available.' Martin added: 'The person who was in charge of the ward overnight was also dealing with the other patient who was in theatre so they were taken away from Karen who was the most critical.' Medics had also attached a heart rate monitor directly to Freya's head but failed to notice that she was showing signs of distress. During the FAI Karen's midwife claimed that she had alerted doctors to her concerns about the baby's heart rate but this was contradicted by both the consultant and junior doctor working that night. Sheriff Divers said he favoured the doctors' evidence over the midwife due to inconsistencies between her evidence and that of other witnesses. When medics realised Karen and Freya needed urgent help, it took a further 45 minutes for the youngster to be born - by which time it was too late. Meconium - a name for a baby's first bowel movement - was covering Freya and she was barely breathing when she finally arrived at 9.31am on Saturday July 21, 2018. Martin said: 'When Freya came out she was purple. They put her on to Karen and then over to the resuscitation area. Even at that point we were told this was normal.' Karen added: 'They had not grasped how unwell Freya was at all. Even when she was born we were told 'It's normal for babies not to cry straight away.' 'It was a junior paediatrician who looked at Freya and hit the emergency button. The staff delivering did not have the idea that things had gone so catastrophically wrong.' Doctors spent 17 minutes trying to resuscitate Freya and regain a steady heartbeat. She was transferred to neonatal intensive care and was immediately placed on a ventilator. Her parents looked on in horror after the baby they had been told would be healthy and normal was now in a fatal condition. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. They later learned that Freya had been starved of oxygen and she had significant brain and organ damage. Karen said: 'Although it was more painful for us to let her go, we knew it was kinder to her. It was absolutely terrible. For a parent it's just a horrendous position and you have to be the one to do it for the sake of your child.' Experts told the FAI the issues were as a result of an infection in the placenta, most likely from Group B Streptococcus, a bacterial infection common among mothers. Karen said if medics had screened for the bug, as they do routinely in many other countries, Freya could still be alive. She also believes staff shortages contributed to the death of her daughter. Karen said: 'If you have a baby outwith Monday to Friday 9-5, it's a completely different experience and the team of people there to support you is vastly different. It shouldn't be that way. Babies can't choose when to be born - they don't arrive to a schedule.' The couple, who now have three children, have never returned to the QEUH for any of the births. Martin said: 'It's been a challenge having more children after the trauma of what happened to Freya. Karen was pregnant again during the FAI which was really hard for her. We just do not want this to happen to another family, and we hope that mistakes are learned from Freya's death.' The couple are being represented by Alan Rodgers, partner at Thompsons solicitors and are now pursuing a civil case against NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. Rodgers said: 'The courage shown by the Murphys to secure this FAI has been enormous and they have waited far too long for it to be held. The Inquiry has shone a light on the reality facing clinicians in the modern Scottish NHS. 'At times care is compromised or suboptimal decisions are made purely due to lack of facilities and resources. The cutbacks and penny-pinching in our NHS needs to stop.' Sheriff Barry Divers described the couple's wait for answers as 'simply too long', with the FAI taking seven years to conclude from when Freya died. An NHSGGC spokeswoman said: "We would like to extend our sincerest condolences to the family of Freya Murphy, and once again to apologise for the distress they have experienced. "Freya's death was the subject of a Fatal Accident Inquiry. We have received the recommendations of this and are working to implement them in full. This includes carrying out a review of staffing levels, and, in line with a recommendation on Group B Streptococcus, we plan to make a formal approach to the UK National Screening Committee."
