LESSER professionals may have buckled under the pressure, hidden away until the storm had passed.
More credit then to BBC presenter Naga Munchetty who shrugged off any worries over the broadcaster’s ‘breakfast-gate’ row about on-air comments she made about US President Donald Trump – with a hilarious stint of car-pool karaoke in the Highlands.
The fun-loving presenter had friends and online fans in stitches belting out tuneful covers of Fleetwood Mac’s classic Go Your Own Way and Katy Perry’s Roar as she spent the last few days in and around Inverness, Nairn and Dornoch.
She was taking part in the prestigious Highland Golf Links 2019 ProAm sponsored by Tomatin Whisky along with golf pro Sophie Walker, Sky Sport’s presenter Sarah Stirk, TalkSport’s Georgie Bingham and others at Castle Stuart, Royal Dornoch and Nairn.
But in between showing off their stuff on the greens, they let their hair down, joining locals at the Black Isle Brewery Bar, recently opened Ness Walk hotel and enjoying the spectacular scenery, during the three day #GirlsOnTour trip.
And she posted videos, photographs and posts about the gathering with sports stars and other broadcasters on social media to show there was no chance she could be cowed by the mini-drama.
READ MORE: Naga Munchetty returns to BBC Breakfast
The star – who describes herself as a ‘slightly obsessed golfer’ on her Twitter profile – helped set the pace for the event, in what she described as a “funny, funny day” which opened with teams being welcomed onto the course by a piper.
The only hint of the storm she left behind came in an early Tweet which read: … “And breathe … love it here” with an artistically shot image of Castle Stewart Golf Links, several times host course of the Scottish Open.
Friends described her as a “class act” and hailed her for going ahead with the weekend, refusing to let anyone down.
And they said they were in awe of her skills on the course too – as she showed off her impressive 9 handicap.
HGL Pro Am golfer Naga Munchetty enjoying a dram with us this evening at the Black Isle Brewery Bar. #2019hglproam @BBCNaga pic.twitter.com/euV5wxin8j
— hglproam (@hglproam) October 1, 2019
Onlookers said she was a natural as she chatted with well-wishers as she enjoyed a dram, and looked every bit at home, far away from the bright lights and pressures of London.
Yesterday morning though, she was back where fans hoped she would be, on the BBC Breakfast sofa, looking relaxed after her sojourn away.
It was the host’s first day back on the couch since the BBC upheld – and then backed down over – a complaint against the host for offering a personal view on the US president demanding a group of black and minority politicians “go back” to their own country.
Neither the presenter and her co-host Charlie Stayt referenced the earlier furore over BBC impartiality.
On her way to work she would not answer questions on the recent debate and remained a dignified silence when asked if she felt let down by the corporation.
The presenter was escorted into the studio at Salford’s MediaCityUK by security staff in the wake of outrage over her censure for breaching impartiality guidelines. Director-general Lord Tony Hall overturned the ruling by the Executive Complaints Unit (ECU) following a fierce public backlash against the broadcaster.
Ms Munchetty would also not be drawn on the BBC’s treatment of her, which is said to have left many colleagues ‘infuriated’ and sparked a public backlash against bosses.
She was driven in a black Audi to within inches of the door at the BBC Breakfast studio, and rushed inside shielded by security staff.
Her co-host on returning to BBC Breakfast, Mr Stayt, also remained silent when asked about the recent controversy.
Viewers were delighted to see her back on air.
One wrote on Twitter: “The Queen is back, Naga”. Another added: “Good to see Naga back where she belongs.”
The original ruling followed a July broadcast during which Ms Munchetty condemned comments made by Mr Trump about his political rivals, after he told female Democrats to leave the United States.
READ MORE: BBC racism row - Original Naga Munchetty complaint also mentioned Dan Walker
When quizzed by her co-host Dan Walker, she said: “Every time I have been told, as a woman of colour, to go back to where I came from, that was embedded in racism.
“Now, I’m not accusing anyone of anything here, but you know what certain phrases mean.”
The ECU ruled her assertion that Trump’s comments were “embedded in racism” went beyond what the BBC allows, and a complaint made about the presenter’s comments was then partially upheld.
This sparked a backlash and several prominent black and Asian journalists and broadcasters, including Sir Lenny Henry and Krishnan Guru-Murthy, called for the decision to be reversed.
On Monday, the corporation’s director-general Lord Hall overturned the decision which had been widely condemned by viewers and a number of high-profile celebrities.
In an email to staff he said: “I don’t think Naga’s words were sufficient to merit a partial uphold of the complaint around the comments she made.”
Privately, many friends and colleagues say they remain furious over the lack of support offered to one of the broadcaster’s most popular stars.
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