Naga Munchetty has spent “all her life” smiling through pain due to an undiagnosed medical condition.
BBC Breakfast host Naga Munchetty has spent 'all her life' smiling through pain of adenomyosis
In 2022, the 'BBC Breakfast’ presenter discovered she had adenomyosis - a gynaecologic condition where the womb’s lining begins to grow into the muscles in its wall - and she admits it has been a huge relief to finally discover the cause of her discomfort after living with chronic pain for decades.
When asked if she had spent years smiling through the pain in an interview with the Metro newspaper, she said: "Yes , I have done all my life - though my GCSEs, through my A-Levels, through my degree and every job I had.
“I was once one of those people who just thought that if I admitted to my pain or spoke about it, I would be considered weak. And no one wants to be seen as weak.
“I don’t think that now. I’m older and I can manage my pain and I’ve had certain treatments that help me manage my condition.”
Naga, 49, is now at a place where she can manage her pain, but if things become too uncomfortable or debilitating she now has the confidence to say so and get help.
She explained: "It's much more manageable. And because I've spoken so publicly about it, if I am really struggling, I can say so without worrying about being seen as someone who is using it as an excuse."
Naga is currently gearing up for a general election and she hopes that the politicians who appear on 'BBC Breakfast' looking for votes will not be evasive and will instead give her and the British public some straight answers.
When quizzed on if she gets frustrated by politicians who dodge answering questions, the journalist said: “Yes, because if I’m not getting a straight answer, the audience isn’t getting one.
“It does seem to be a trend now amongst politicians of all parties. Let’s see if it improves in this general election period.
“The audience is much more critical and analytical, especially since the pandemic, Brexit and various elections.
“When I was growing up, you just accepted what you said … these days that’s not the case, and that’s a good thing.”