Scott Mills was questioned by police below warning however the case was dropped due to an absence of proof
(Picture: CREDIT LINE:BBC/Owen Scurfield)
The BBC’s choice to sack Scott Mills pertains to a 2016 police investigation into “critical sexual offences” towards a teenage boy.
Mills was questioned by police below warning however the case was dropped due to an absence of proof. Nevertheless the Mirror understands the sacking pertains to this particular person.
Tonight a Metropolitan Police spokesperson mentioned: “In December 2016, the Met started an investigation following a referral from one other police pressure. The investigation associated to allegations of great sexual offences towards a teenage boy.
“These had been reported to taken place between 1997 and 2000. As a part of these enquiries, a person who was in his 40s on the time of the interview, was questioned by police below warning in July 2018.
“A full file of proof was submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service, who decided the evidential threshold had not been met to convey fees. Following this recommendation, the investigation was closed in Might 2019.”
The claims associated to when Mills joined BBC Radio 1 and it’s not recognized if the BBC had been advised of the investigation on the time. A supply near the BBC say they acted “rapidly and decisively” final week following a criticism. The BBC is known to have up to date the complainant following Mills’ sacking, and are in touch with them.
The Mirror broke information of the star presenter’s sacking this morning shortly earlier than BBC employees had been knowledgeable by electronic mail. They had been left “shell-shocked” by Mills’ departure, and there have been “audible” gasps within the newsroom. It comes because the 53-year-old was taken off air final Wednesday following the unnamed particular person’s criticism whereas the BBC urgently assessed the data.
Mills, who solely took over the flagship breakfast present from Zoe Ball in 2025, was then advised his contract was terminated on the weekend. Lorna Clarke, the BBC’s Director of Music advised employees in an electronic mail: “I needed to personally let you already know that Scott Mills has left the Breakfast present, and the BBC. I do know that this information might be sudden and sudden and due to this fact should come as a shock.
“Not least as so many people have labored with Scott over a terrific a few years, throughout a broad vary of our programmes on R1, 5Live, R2 and TV. I felt it was necessary to share this information with you on the earliest alternative.”
She added: “In fact, it is going to additionally come as a shock to our viewers and dependable breakfast present listeners too. I’ll replace everybody with extra data on plans for the present once I’m in a position to. Whereas I admire lots of you’ll have questions, I hope you possibly can perceive that I’m not going to be saying something additional now.”
The BBC mentioned in an announcement: “Whereas we don’t touch upon issues referring to people, we are able to affirm Scott Mills is now not contracted to work with the BBC.” Information of Scott Mills’ axing led the 12pm bulletin on his former station. At first of his present on BBC Radio 2, Jeremy Vine mentioned he was “shocked” by the information about Mills.
He mentioned: “Clearly, I used to be shocked by that opening story to the information. I had not heard something about it till 17 minutes in the past, when it was on the BBC web site, and I solely had the data that was given to you within the bulletin, I’ve nothing extra, that it was allegations about Scott Mills’s private conduct, which have led to him being sacked. I’ve not more than that.”
Mills had signed off Tuesday’s present by telling listeners: “I’m again tomorrow, with Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Thanks!” Nevertheless, the next day he was changed with out warning by colleague Gary Davies. There was no point out of why he was absent.
Mills earns between £355,000 and £359,999 yearly for his work on the BBC, based on the 2024–2025 pay report. He has been on BBC radio and TV for greater than 25 years and is its eleventh highest-paid star. He joined Radio 2’s weekday schedule in 2022 when he changed Steve Wright because the host of the afternoon slot. In 2025 he supplied TV commentary on BBC One for the semi-finals of Eurovision with Rylan, and was set to be closely concerned on this yr’s competitors.
The BBC at the moment are locked in disaster conferences as to who replaces him on each exhibits. A supply mentioned: “It’s like a bomb has been dropped in the course of the Company…..all the pieces has been thrown up into the air.” Following the announcement he was to take excessive job from Zoe Ball, Mills mentioned it was a ‘lifelong dream come true.”
He mentioned: “It feels ever since recording my first exhibits as a child for an viewers of 1, my mum, all roads since have led to this wonderful alternative. It truly is a lifelong dream come true to observe within the footsteps of Sir Terry, Chris and Zoe to be the brand new presenter of the Radio 2 Breakfast Present.”
Mills started his BBC profession on Radio 1 within the late Nineteen Nineties because the early breakfast host, earlier than happening to current weekend slots after which an early night present whereas offering maternity cowl for Sara Cox. When Cox didn’t return, the programme was renamed The Scott Mills Present. He has additionally offered a weekend present on Radio 5 Stay and appeared on sequence 12 of Strictly the place he was paired with skilled dancer Joanne Clifton, changing into the fifth couple to be eradicated.
In 2024 he and husband Sam Vaughan gained the celeb version of Race Across the World. Reflecting on the expertise that got here simply after touchdown the Radio 2 Breakfast slot, Mills mentioned: “I had such a mad yr final yr, it was the very best yr of my life,” and added: “I am truthfully the happiest I’ve ever been in my life.”
