‘I’ll be opening the bubbly at 8am’

NAGA MUNCHETTY BBC Breakfast host Naga Munchetty on her love of festive films and perfecting her roast potatoes.

Christmas at home or away? I love the idea of going away somewhere hot, because by the time we get to Christmas, I’m fed up with the cold. But usually it’s at home in Manchester.

Who’s invited? My husband, James, my sister and our parents. Decorations: minimalist or over the top?

Minimalist, because we have cats that always climb the trees and wreck them! Upstairs, we’ll have some tinsel and nice glass reindeers.

When is the first drink of the day? I’ll get up, have a shower, get dressed and then open presents with bubbly at 8am. We don’t drink all morning, though, because we once got excited and drank a bottle of Champagne – only to then fall asleep. My parents arrived for dinner and it hadn’t even been put on!

Who’s cooking? Me, with James as sous-chef. He’ll do the tidying and loading up the dishwasher, sorting bits and bobs and topping up the fizz.

What’s your signature dish? The roasties. If I could only have one thing on my dinner plate, it would be them. I’ve nailed the perfect roasties, too: parboil King Edwards, cut into chunks and chuff up with some olive oil and salt. Give them a shake mid-roast, but otherwise leave them to do their business.

Party dress or pyjamas? I’ll be in my slobbies to cook, then I’ll get dressed up. What’s on your festive TV planner?

I love Scrooged with Bill Murray and, even though they’re not strictly festive, I really enjoy it when they show all the old films like Grease and West Side Story in the lead-up to Christmas.

Worst Christmas disaster? Last year, James and I got Covid just in time for Christmas, so we couldn’t even taste the food. That was terrible! I hope this year will be better. What’s on your wish list this year?

I know it sounds trite, but it would genuinely be freedom and health. We’ve all been through enough!

● BBC Breakfast airs on BBC One daily from 6am