BBC Breakfast’s Naga Munchetty is accused of “nasty” swipes at departing weather host Carol Kirkwood.
The host’s digs come amid an ongoing probe into her “bullying” behaviour.
Carol, 63, presented her final forecast on Thursday after 28 years with the Beeb.
But after a video tribute, Naga joked: “I’m just waiting for the countdown for you to go!”
And in another thinly-veiled barb, she later presented Carol with a framed Mr Men photo and said: “So what do we call you? Not off-air!
“On-air. Little Miss Sunshine maybe?”
While sources say Carol and Naga have been pals for years, the seemingly catty comments came as the BBC investigates bullying claims against Naga, 51.
A source said: “Naga thinks she’s funny but she’s very nasty.
“It is yet more micro aggression and bullying.”
Viewers also noticed a frostiness. One wrote: “Maybe Naga and Carol really didn’t get on.”
Another reckoned: “Naga didn’t do a pre-recorded solo tribute like the other newsreaders.
“Instead she tried her usual gotcha tactics to embarrass Carol.”
In February we told how Naga is said to have scorned co-host Sally Nugent’s new hairdo.
She is said to have ranted: “We’re meant to be serious journalists, not trying to look like we’re presenting This Morning.”
A bullying probe into Naga has been ongoing since November.
Claims include laying into an intern for incorrectly spreading Marmite on her toast and an unwelcome sexual remark to a female colleague.
