BBC Radio 5 Live host Naga Munchetty, 45, spoke with frontline staff about the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and the vaccine roll-out a year on from when Prime Minister Boris Johnson enforced the first lockdown. Broadcasting live from Life Science Centre in Newcastle, she was particularly choked up following a chat with Clinical Educator for Infectious Diseases Fiona Cook.
The latter said visitors had been anxious to get the vaccine in the beginning but were now less hesitant.
She went on to praise her “really tight team” for their efforts in getting people vaccinated.
Naga asked Fiona if people had many questions about potential risks of the jab.
The latter said she was happy to speak to people who had concerns as her background is in infectious diseases.
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She added she had seen “tears” at the centre this morning in reflection of the over 100,000 people who had died after having the disease.
The Clinical Educator also told Naga she felt good making her family proud of what she had been doing to save lives.
“One day my grandchildren are going to ask me what I did in the pandemic and I’m proud to be able to tell them this is what I did.”
After a slight pause, Naga replied: “Oh you’ve upset me, I’m sorry,” sounding choked up.
She went on to tell listeners while crying: “It’s certainly been a day here at the Centre For Life, I’ve met some brilliant people – I really do feel really hopeful.”
Handing over to her co-star Nihal Arthanayake, she added: “Nihal is up at one, hello.”
Realising she was crying, Naga’s colleague offered his sympathy and said he could imagine how overwhelmed she must’ve been feeling.
“Honestly it’s made me quite emotional,” she admitted.
“I can imagine it is,” Nihal replied.
She went on to say: “It’s a real feeling of hope, the sun is shining and I’ve got a great team around me.
“Darren my output editor, it’s his last day and he’s brilliant – I don’t know – it’s great, it’s a real privilege to be here and see people doing this work.”
“Well it sounded superb,” Nihal added.
The BBC Breakfast host replied: “I feel like I’ve made you cry.”
“No listen I can just hear it and I can feel it, I totally understand where you’re coming from,” he added.
“When you and I look back at what we’ve been we’re lucky doing what we do,” Naga concluded.
Fiona has since taken to Twitter to share a picture of herself alongside the presenter from the centre today.
She wrote: “So sorry @TVNaga01 to have made you cry but thank you for the opportunity to tell people how we feel her @NewcastleHosps.”(sic)
