The 51-year-old had been at the Beeb for 26 years, host of the Drivetime slot for seven, and was considered a safe pair of hands being beloved by listeners for her bright and bubbly persona.

But insiders at Radio 2 who have worked with the Manchester-born host have revealed staff feel 'uncomfortable' and 'on edge' due to her habit of calling mistakes out on air and naming those responsible.

A source told the Mail: 'A lot of studio managers and technicians don't like working on the show with her.

'Everybody is on edge because she keeps pulling people up when there is a mistake that goes out on air and then throwing them under the bus, it's unfair and not part of the team spirit.'

Talking to the travel presenter, Ellie Brennan, the Morning Live host said: 'Do your connection song, Ellie, whoosh, and then lift. You alright there my lovely? You're on the wrong mic there.

'Who's been messing with the mic? Why do you sound so weird? Don't worry, an operative wearing a beard will def - look, he's not moving.'

Shouting through to the control room, she said: 'That's your cue Anthony, to come in! It's not a spectator sport this love, you know, you can come and get it.

'Look, here he is, a man has dashed in with a beard. Oh here we go.'

She sarcastically added: 'Now if you were at the handover with Vernon that went perfectly last week, you'll know the name Anthony because that came up.'

While the exchange was punctuated with laughter from Ms Cox, insiders revealed the team were left feeling 'very uncomfortable'.

A source said: 'Staff felt like she could have gone on and owned it a bit and had a joke, but she had to make a point it wasn't her.

'There was time Zoe [Ball] used to say the wrong time and just joke it off or Scott [Mills] would have the wrong day played on his 8am jingle song and instead of blaming other people he would just go, 'That's my fat fingers'.'

Mills, 53, was beloved by staff at Radio 2 but was sacked after 14 months on the flagship show after historical allegations of serious sexual assault against a teenage boy emerged.

The case had been investigated by police in 2018 and dismissed by the Crown Prosecution Service in 2019 - Mills has launched legal action against the BBC for unfair dismissal.

When she took over the post in July, the mother-of-three opened up her first show with the songs 'It's About Damn Time' by Lizzo and 'Finally' by CeCe Peniston but joked there was, 'No message in the music'.

The pair had been close friends after working together for 30 years.

It was a move that is said to have 'upset' employees at the station, it being so fresh after Scott's unsavoury dismissal.

The source explained: 'People [not just on her show] were upset by Sara's song choices at her launch, which felt insensitive given what happened with Scott.

'Staff are also still angry that they've been told nothing about him, even six months on and still miss him very much.

'Nobody got a chance to say goodbye and really feel for him as it's his dream.'

Ms Cox, who lives in North London, first started at Breakfast on BBC Radio 1 in 1999 and joined Radio 2 in 2011 when she provided maternity cover for Claudia Winkleman on the fourth series of Hot Gossip.

It's an open secret at the station Ms Cox has long had her eye on the Breakfast Show seat but had been passed over twice, the first for Zoe Ball, 55, and then Mills.

When Ms Ball, who defected to rival station Greatest Hits last month, was given the Breakfast slot, Ms Cox played Shaggy's song, 'It Wasn't Me' on her show that day.

A BBC spokesperson said: 'Live radio is at its best when it feels spontaneous and real, and this was simply a lighthearted, on-air moment between colleagues. 

'Sara's warm, lively presenting style and great relationship with the breakfast team are genuine - and that authentic chemistry is exactly what our millions of listeners tune in for every weekday morning.'