Naga Munchetty recalls punching teenager after being assaulted on train in her twenties

Highlights:

• Two teenage boys grabbed Munchetty as she was leaving the train.
• She reacted by hitting one of them.
• Fear of their retaliation followed immediately.
• Munchetty was in her twenties during the encounter.
• She expressed relief that she was able to leave the train straight afterwards.

A disturbing episode from her past has been detailed by Naga Munchetty, involving a physical response to an assault. The BBC Breakfast figure was groped by a pair of teenagers while she was getting off a train. She has finally spoken about the punch she threw and the anxiety that followed. It is a difficult personal story within the broader issue of women's safety in public areas.

Naga Munchetty hit back at teen groping on train and feared what would happen next Getty Images

What prompted the physical reaction?

Munchetty was in her twenties, simply trying to get off the train. The doors were right there. These two boys, who could not have been more than 16, were hanging about. Then, out of nowhere, there was a sharp grab and a pinch on her bottom. The shock of it was a jolt that went right through her. With no time to think, her body just reacted. She turned and punched one of them. She swore at them. There is no conscious thought in a moment like that, just a raw instinct that fires through your muscles before you can even process what has occurred.

Naga Munchetty shares terrifying train encounter where she fought back against teenage attackers Getty Images

What came next?

Then she stood there, a young woman alone. She had just hit someone. What if they fought back? What could they do to her? She was only slightly older than them and suddenly felt incredibly vulnerable. The relief of the open train doors and the platform ahead was huge. She could just walk away. Staying on that carriage with them after that clash would have been a different, and probably worse, story altogether.

How does this connect to her current role?

On screen, Munchetty continues her BBC Breakfast presenting duties. But off screen, the programme has faced its own tensions, with reported internal reviews into workplace behaviour. While show editor Richard Frediani has been cleared following an investigation, Munchetty herself has faced specific complaints, including an allegation of bullying from a junior colleague, which has exposed a strained backstage environment. This makes her candid discussion of her own past victimisation all the more striking.