Naga munchetty branded 'wicked' over decision not to have children

BBC BREAKFAST AND RADIO 5 LIVE HOST NAGA MUNCHETTY OPENED UP ABOUT THE REASONS WHY SHE AND HER LONG-TERM HUSBAND JAMES HAGGAR HAVE RULED OUT HAVING CHILDREN 15:16, 21 May 2025Updated 15:19,

21 May 2025 BBC Breakfast presenter Naga Munchetty says she has received backlash over her and her husband's decision not to have any children. The 50-year-old says she and her spouse

of 18 years, James Haggar, realised they "liked the life" they lead and "wanted to pursue that life". Listing more reasons why she's opted out of having her own

family, Naga added: "Parenthood is expensive, it's exhausting and a commitment for life." While the presenter has every right to make the decision, she said some have

questioned it, including her mother. She added to Saga Magazine: “My mum will say, ‘You're still my baby and I worry about you.’ "But I remember people saying, ‘That's so

wicked! How can you deny your parents grandchildren?’." The BBC star said the decision was particularly "hard" for her mum to take, though believes she "understands"

it now. Recalling her mum's response, she added to the publication: "[She said] ‘Naga, it would have been wonderful to have grandchildren, but equally, it's wonderful seeing

what you're doing and who you've become'. Isn’t that what we want for our children?". Naga opted to be surgically sterilised in her 40s, after suffering from painful

symptoms which were later diagnosed as Adenomyosis. According to the NHS, 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. Additionally, the website says female sterilisation as a permanent type of contraception, where the fallopian tubes are blocked or cut to stop sperm

meeting an egg. Explaining her decision to be sterilised, she told The Times: "I knew I didn’t want children and I didn’t want to be reliant on hormones or the regimen of the pill

because it didn’t fit with my lifestyle. It felt like it was my only option." Before the procedure, she turned down the option of a hysterectomy because she didn't believe it would

eradicate her pain. She went on to say that she now takes the hormonal contraceptive pill to prevent her periods, and is on HRT for the perimenopause. Naga has credited her long-term

husband for his support through her health battle, which was left undiagnosed for over 30 years. She splits her time between their home in Hertfordshire and a flat in Manchester, where she

spends three nights a week to host BBC Breakfast. Previously discussing her marriage, she told The Guardian: "James and I are both golfers, and I think it’s great for our relationship.

"It gives us a few hours together when we’re walking and talking and catching up; it really makes a difference. "Golf takes you on a journey together, and it means you stay in

touch with one another." The presenter has also said the pair ensure they are "kind" to each other and don't tend to argue. Article continues below Speaking on Louise

Minchin's Spirit podcast, she shared: "He's a lovely, lovely man, he's definitely the better half."