The BBC has sacked Radio 2 breakfast show presenter Scott Mills following allegations about his personal conduct, plunging the corporation into a fresh crisis. Mills, 53, was removed from his show last Tuesday and his contract terminated, with reports suggesting the claims relate to a 'historic relationship' more than a decade ago.
Mills had hosted Britain's most popular radio breakfast show since January 2025, attracting 6.5 million listeners. He joined Radio 2 in 2022, replacing Steve Wright on the afternoon slot, after a long career at Radio 1 and Radio 5 Live. His dismissal comes amid ongoing scrutiny of BBC presenters' behaviour, following cases involving Huw Edwards and Tim Westwood.
The departure occurred in Tim Davie's final week as director general; he announced his resignation last year, citing the toll of repeated crises. Matt Brittin, a former Google executive, will succeed Davie and faces the task of finding Mills' replacement. Lorna Clarke, BBC director of music, informed staff that Mills had left 'suddenly and unexpectedly,' acknowledging the shock to colleagues and listeners.
Mills apparently did not know he would not return when he signed off on 24 March, telling listeners: 'See you tomorrow.' His slot was taken by Gary Davies on Monday, with Davies and OJ Borg covering for the next week. Mills was also due to host the upcoming BBC podcast Race Across the World: The Detour and the Pop Top 10 podcast alongside Rylan Clark.
Fellow presenter Jeremy Vine said he was 'taken aback' by the news, learning of it only 17 minutes before his own show. A Radio 2 source told Deadline they were 'completely blindsided.' The BBC declined to comment on individual matters but confirmed Mills is no longer contracted.
