Naga Munchetty blasted by BBC viewers over 'utter s*** show' Burnham clash as fans rip into 'embarrassing' remarks: 'One of her worst!'

The BBC presenter was keen to draw an answer from Mr Burnham about a potential leadership charge within the Labour Party, given Prime Minister Keir Starmer's dwindling popularity rating and much-maligned performance in Number 10.

Mr Burnham's appearance on BBC Breakfast came 24 hours after Norwich South MP Clive Lewis said he was willing to step down to potentially make way for him to return to the Commons via a by-election.

As an MP, Mr Burnham would then be able to lodge any challenge to the leadership in Westminster.

As Ms Munchetty pressed Mr Burnham on the issue, it soon became apparent that he had grown frustrated with her hypothetical leadership challenge remarks.

"I am not going to sit here this morning and rule out what might or might not happen in the future — because why would I?" he told Ms Munchetty.

"I don’t know what the future will hold. What I do know is I’m mayor of the most successful city region in the country, the fastest-growing, and it’s my job to put forward a plan for the future rather than go back to my old world where everyone is constantly speculating about everything, not putting forward solutions for the benefit of the country."

Ms Munchetty attempted to intervene, but Mr Burnham ploughed on: "And maybe that’s part of our problem — the political culture in this country. Not always speculating, but not actually focussing on solutions in the here and now."

The BBC host eventually cut in: "Fellow Labour Party members — and I’m talking about Labour MP for Norwich, Clive Lewis — offered to give up his seat, hypothetically give up his seat, to allow you to become an MP to challenge Sir Keir Starmer for the Labour leadership. This is beyond just tittle-tattle and whispers behind the scenes. This is a conversation that’s—"

"What do you want me to do or say?" Mr Burnham interrupted, to which Ms Munchetty said: "I would like you to confirm either way whether you—"

"I appreciate the support, but I’m here this morning to do my job," Mr Burnham interjected, prompting the two to begin speaking over one another.

"You appreciate?" Ms Munchetty pressed, unable to finish her question, as Mr Burnham continued: "I hope you would let me do my job. I’m explaining something that is actually happening, that is going to be agreed in a week’s time, where money will go...

"Why not focus on that rather than something that might or might not happen in the future?" Mr Burnham asked as Ms Munchetty continued to try and butt in, only to eventually concede: "We have done, and we have gone into the details of the Manchester Economic Growth Plan...

"And you are being spoken about as a potential challenger to the Prime Minister’s position."

"I can’t stop that," a frustrated Mr Burnham blurted out, to which Ms Munchetty argued: "And you haven’t ruled out that."

Mr Burnham stood firm: "I’m not going to rule out what might or might not happen in the future. I’m not in a position this morning to do that."

Turning the tables on the BBC presenter, he quizzed: "The questions that are always asked on these things — how do you answer them? You don’t know where you both will be next year, do you?

"I could ask you, would you rule out whatever? It’s always hard for anyone to answer those questions, to be honest with you."

Mr Burnham's exasperation became more and more evident as the interview went on, eventually stating: "How do you answer those questions? It’s impossible, really. All I can do is be here, present, in the here and now, and do my job for Greater Manchester.

"The country’s crying out for a plan for growth that benefits people, reduces the cost of living — which is what we’re doing with our B network, low fares on a new public transport system.

"You know, it does frustrate me that Westminster politics kind of comes in and sort of, you know, the things that frustrate the public.

"Do you know why we’ve succeeded here in Greater Manchester? I’ll tell you why. We’ve built our new economy here with a new way of doing politics: place-first rather than party-first. I’ll be with the Lib Dem leader at Stockport later today, announcing this new plan.

"And I think that’s what your viewers want. They want politicians to focus on their lives now. They want us to focus on solutions rather than point-scoring. And that’s what we’re doing in Greater Manchester.

'Maybe that's part of our problem with the political culture of this country is we are always speculating, we're not actually focussing on solutions'

On #BBCBreakfast Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said he 'wouldn't rule out what might or might not happen in the… pic.twitter.com/zAxMnD1HDz

— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) November 20, 2025

"It might just occur to people that we’ve got more functional in Greater Manchester as the country has got more dysfunctional. And maybe it’s that Westminster politics that is the problem and the type of questions you’ve both been putting at me in the last few minutes," he added in a particularly barbed swipe.

Following the interview, clips of the clash quickly went viral on social media, with a number X users seemingly sharing Mr Burnham's frustration with the manner of the interview and Ms Munchetty's persistent remarks about a leadership charge.

"One of Naga's worst interviews," one X user surmised, while a second also hit out: "Naga continually talking over Andy was the most disgraceful performance by a BBC presenter, I've heard in a while."

"She is so annoying, not letting him speak, talking over and interrupting him," a third weighed in, before a fourth echoed: "Omg @BBCBreakfast Naga is just so painful to watch. Let him speak and stop talking over the guests. It’s not about you!!! Viewers are interested in what @AndyBurnhamGM has to say. Not you. Don’t be so rude!"

"Blimey @BBCBreakfast you seriously need to consider taking Naga off air - terrible to watch & her arrogant manner #bbcbreakfast," added a fifth, and a sixth concurred: "@BBCBreakfast what an utter s**t show that interview with @AndyBurnhamGM was. Naga Munchetty was positively falling over herself trying to reach for the (non-existent) gotcha! #embarrassing."

A seventh praised the politician directly: "@AndyBurnhamGM thank you thank you thank you for standing up for us and all the BS from c**p journalists chasing gossip. Naga has become unacceptable, but she has still competition and you did well not to be bullied." (sic)

While an eighth added: "I come down in the morning, grab a cuppa and pop #bbcbreakfast on to ease me into the day. NOT to listen to the tv equivalent of a snowball fight. Sort yourself out, Naga Munchetty, that verbal joust with Andy Burnham was a mess & not what I watch breakfast tv for." (sic)

However, despite the heated exchange, some felt Ms Munchetty was right to challenge Mr Burnham in the way she did, even if it meant speaking over the Greater Manchester Mayor.

"About time, they always used to talk over Tory ministers & even shouting in the case of John Kay. Labour have been given a soft ride by the BBC," one X user waded into the debate.

And a second X user outright praised: "Well done Naga! Mayor Burnham frustrated at your leadership questions, but he should have realised that with Starmer's position fragile and Clive Lewis's comments yesterday on #PoliticsLive, you would have explored the matter with him." (sic)