The BBC has sacked Radio 2 breakfast show presenter Scott Mills following allegations about his personal conduct, plunging the corporation into another crisis. Mills, 53, who hosted Britain's most popular radio breakfast show, was taken off air last Tuesday and his contract terminated.
The allegations relate to a 'historic relationship' more than 10 years ago, according to a report in the Mirror cited by BBC News. The BBC declined to comment on the specifics, stating only: 'While we do not comment on matters relating to individuals, we can confirm Scott Mills is no longer contracted and has left the BBC.'
Mills' dismissal is the latest in a series of scandals involving BBC presenters, including 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 is expected to make the decision on Mills' replacement.
Mills took over the Radio 2 breakfast show from Zoe Ball in January 2025 and grew its audience to 6.5 million listeners. He joined Radio 2 in 2022 after stints on Radio 1 and Radio 5 Live. Lorna Clarke, BBC director of music, informed staff of the departure in an email, acknowledging the shock and promising updates on the show's future.
Temporary replacements Gary Davies and OJ Borg have been confirmed for the coming week. Mills was also due to host the BBC podcast 'Race Across the World: The Detour' and the 'Pop Top 10' podcast with Rylan Clark. He appeared unaware of his sacking when he signed off on 24 March, telling listeners: 'See you tomorrow.'
Fellow presenter Jeremy Vine expressed surprise on his own show, saying he learned of the exit from the BBC website. A Radio 2 source told Deadline they were 'completely blindsided' by the news. Mills, who earned between £355,000 and £359,999 annually according to the BBC's 2024-25 pay report, first joined Radio 1 in 1998.
