‘BBC Breakfast’ Boss Richard Frediani Faces Additional Bullying Claims

BBC Breakfast boss Richard Frediani is going through additional allegations of office bullying and misconduct, with senior presenter Naga Munchetty amongst these thought to have misgivings about his habits.

Deadline revealed final month how Frediani was the topic of no less than two misconduct complaints, together with one from a girl who had her grievance upheld after claiming that the Breakfast editor bodily shook her throughout a newsroom trade final yr.

Now, Deadline can report that issues about Frediani’s conduct run deeper on the BBC, whereas he has additionally been accused of behaving inappropriately at his earlier employer, ITN, the place he was overseen by the identical executives now operating BBC Information. The BBC declined to touch upon particular person HR issues. Frediani’s place is that he was unaware of any complaints being made about his conduct at ITN. 

After 9 of Frediani’s colleagues spoke to Deadline for our unique investigation, an additional 11 folks have come ahead to debate their experiences. Seven of those people labored with Frediani at ITN, the place he held senior roles on the workforce that produces ITV Information. We will reveal:

The allegations come because the BBC prepares to publish an exterior overview of its office tradition later this month, following a sequence of scandals concerning the conduct of highly effective males. BBC director common Tim Davie has mentioned he desires Change Associates, the administration consultancy main the overview, to make sensible suggestions about how managers can create a tradition the place there’s “zero tolerance” for wrongdoing. Davie instructed lawmakers final month that the BBC has improved its complaints dealing with and employees are extra assured in processes, however he mentioned that if there are examples of issues not being handled significantly, it’s a “grade one” situation.

Presenter Issues

4 folks accustomed to the tensions over Frediani mentioned Munchetty, certainly one of Breakfast’s most outstanding hosts, has an uneasy relationship together with her editor and has spoken to BBC Information managers about her issues. A journalist at a rival information group mentioned she is “fairly open” about her disquiet concerning his remedy of Breakfast staff. Munchetty didn’t reply to requests for remark.

Individually, three sources mentioned Radio 2 newsreader Tina Daheley has chosen to not seem on Frediani’s Information at One. She was named as a presenter on the bulletin final Could, however is claimed to have been deeply upset by how her appointment was introduced.

A press launch unveiling Information at One’s presenting line-up featured photographs of all of the white information anchors however didn’t image Daheley, per an archived internet web page. The BBC press workplace took full accountability for the error, which was rapidly corrected after Daheley voiced her dismay. A supply mentioned Frediani, who was quoted within the press launch, didn’t see the ultimate model earlier than it was revealed on the BBC web site. He later apologized to Daheley. Daheley didn’t reply to requests for remark.

Munchetty and Daheley have every labored on the BBC for greater than 17 years and each characteristic among the many company’s highest-paid presenters. Munchetty juggles her Breakfast duties with Radio 5 Reside, whereas Daheley additionally hosts Factors of View and Information at Six.

Different BBC staff got here ahead with their experiences. One particular person claimed to have witnessed an incident in 2019, throughout which a “clearly indignant” Frediani cornered a Breakfast colleague up towards a wall and was “jabbing his finger” as he voiced displeasure about that morning’s present. Two sources alleged that Frediani is understood for “screaming” down the cellphone at different BBC Information desks and complaining concerning the high quality of content material they provide Breakfast.

Within the interval after Deadline’s first story about Frediani, insiders mentioned that he has behaved as whether it is enterprise as standard. The day after publication, Breakfast and Information at One employees had been emailed by John McAndrew, BBC Information’ director of programmes, to remind them concerning the company’s strategy to complaints of wrongdoing.

“With regard to tradition and behavior – and this stands for all of our groups throughout the organisation – please be assured that if, or when, any allegations of any inappropriate behaviour come to me, they are going to be taken significantly, comprehensively investigated, and if upheld, motion will probably be taken,” McAndrew wrote.

Some at Breakfast had been doubtful about this message provided that Frediani has been the topic of complaints, and but has been rewarded with extra energy. Bosses knew that Frediani had been accused of shaking a feminine colleague final yr earlier than they expanded his tasks to incorporate the Information at One. “Senior administration has been repeatedly instructed by numerous folks that there’s a drawback, and so they haven’t carried out something about it,” mentioned a BBC supply. 

“Tyrant On The Store Flooring”

Seven of Frediani’s former ITN colleagues, who spoke to Deadline on the situation of anonymity, recounted their experiences of his habits. He did two spells at ITN, lasting a complete of practically 14 years, the latest of which was between 2012 and 2019, when he left to hitch BBC Breakfast. 

Characterised as a “tyrant on the store flooring,” former colleagues mentioned Frediani ran the newsroom with “unbridled aggression,” making a tradition of concern amongst these round him, together with his superiors. ITN declined to touch upon historic allegations about Frediani.

These interviewed by Deadline alleged that he would undermine colleagues in editorial conferences by muttering and swearing beneath his breath, taking assignments away from journalists he didn’t price, and overtly smirking or rolling his eyes at story recommendations that didn’t meet his requirements. “It will be a public humiliation train, proper in the midst of the workplace,” mentioned one particular person aware of the conferences. 

Others recalled him having stand-up rows, shouting, swearing, and jabbing his finger within the course of peers. “He was accustomed to stepping into your private area when speaking to you, leaning into you, maybe inches away out of your face, or touching you to make a degree,” a former colleague recalled.

Sources alleged that he routinely ignored or sidelined colleagues he thought of “persona non grata,” stripping them of accountability or freezing them out of fascinating tales. Sources mentioned this was as a result of Frediani didn’t personally price the person or had beforehand clashed with them. “In isolation, it doesn’t sound vastly vital … nevertheless it had such a poisonous impact on folks,” mentioned one other former ITN insider. 

The allegations echoed these made by BBC insiders, who shared tales about his alleged aggression and lamented the “clubbable” ambiance he has created at Breakfast, wherein favorites are rewarded and others are not noted within the chilly. There’s a feeling that his habits doesn’t accord with BBC values round equity and inclusivity. 

A number of of Frediani’s former ITN co-workers mentioned complaints had been made about his conduct, although it’s not clear how formal these grievances had been. One particular person instructed Deadline that they made a grievance to a supervisor and HR about Frediani’s habits, however had been instructed to get used to his fashion.

Others mentioned they stopped wanting complaining as a result of they nervous it could not be handled significantly by ITN or it may very well be damaging for his or her profession. “If I’d made a proper grievance, it could have fallen on deaf ears, and I’d have been slowly squeezed out,” mentioned one particular person.

Frediani was a programme editor at ITV Information in Deborah Turness’ last yr as total editor of the service earlier than she joined NBC Information. Jonathan Munro, now BBC Information’ international information director, additionally labored in a senior function at ITV Information throughout this time. “Turness is totally conscious of what he’s like,” mentioned one particular person. One other supply, a seasoned journalist, claimed that “a blind eye” had been turned to Frediani’s alleged conduct. 

Turness’ place is that she doesn’t recall any grievance, formal or casual, about Frediani through the time they overlapped at ITN. Munro was additionally unaware of complaints and strongly denies {that a} “blind eye” was turned to any alleged misconduct. Frediani’s place is that he was unaware of any complaints about his conduct and nothing was raised with him. 

ITN is at the moment going through questions over its dealing with of historic complaints and use of non-disclosure agreements after an impartial report concluded final yr that staff had “low belief” in administration processes. Deadline can reveal that the corporate not too long ago engaged Folks Puzzles, an exterior HR consultancy, to enhance its folks administration and complaints processes. Employees have not too long ago been surveyed about their experiences.

An ITN spokesperson mentioned: “We’re dedicated to a tradition of openness and belief, which incorporates guaranteeing that any time a priority is raised, it’s addressed promptly, totally, and pretty.”

WHO IS RICHARD FREDIANI?

Described as one of the formidable British TV information editors of his technology, Richard Frediani has risen from being a neighborhood radio reporter in his native metropolis of Preston to the BBC’s strongest information government exterior of London. 

Based mostly out of Salford, Frediani has referred to as the photographs on BBC Breakfast, the UK’s highest-rated morning present, since September 2019. He not too long ago had his function expanded to incorporate the flagship Information at One. He’s mentioned to have an instinctive understanding of audiences exterior of London, a much-prized ability on the BBC, which is commonly accused of being biased in the direction of the capital.

Captain Tom Moore

Frediani is called a information obsessive. An ITN colleague recalled how he used to document the weekday information bulletins of his rivals and watch them again on the weekend whereas doing the household’s ironing. Fueled by a love of candy treats, Frediani is a near-constant presence within the workplace and asks his workforce to pitch tales that make viewers late for work as a result of they’re so compelling to look at.

He has long-established Breakfast right into a present that seeks to set the agenda with human curiosity tales, resembling propelling Captain Tom Moore into the nationwide consciousness by spotlighting his pandemic heroics. Colleagues have referred to as him a “campaigning” editor, who doubles down on points that ring a bell with audiences. Breakfast’s protection of the Submit Workplace scandal is proof of this and earned the present its first-ever BAFTA TV Awards nomination final month. Breakfast has gained a Royal Tv Society award on Frediani’s watch.

Those that have labored with Frediani claimed his expertise and observe document are the explanation why his superiors have been ready to miss habits that allegedly upsets some colleagues. There’s additionally the view that he has constructed a novel empire in Salford and isn’t topic to identical managerial oversight as his London-based contemporaries.