BBC Sacks Radio Host Scott Mills Amid Historic Allegations

The BBC has dismissed radio host Scott Mills due to allegations of past misconduct. The historic claims involved a teenage boy and led to police questioning a decade ago. Despite insufficient evidence for charges, Mills' exit adds to the BBC's ongoing challenges.

The BBC has terminated the contract of radio host Scott Mills following allegations concerning his past conduct. Reports from British media on Tuesday revealed that he was interrogated by the police over a decade ago regarding historical allegations involving a teenage boy. The Metropolitan Police confirmed that the investigation, first highlighted by the Mirror newspaper, involved a boy under 16 years old.

Initiated in 2016 after a referral from another police force, the investigation scrutinized alleged offenses from 1997 to 2000. A police statement indicated the allegations involved serious sexual offenses against a teenage boy, though the boy's age was undisclosed. In July 2018, a man in his 40s, presumably Mills, was questioned under caution, and the case was sent to the Crown Prosecution Service. Due to insufficient evidence, the investigation concluded in May 2019 without charges.

The BBC, while refraining from commenting on individual cases, confirmed that Mills is no longer under contract. It remains unclear if the police probe influenced this decision. Mills, who recently took over Radio 2's breakfast show from Zoe Ball, did not comment on the situation. His departure is another setback for the BBC, still reeling from former presenter Huw Edwards' conviction in 2024 for indecent images of children.

(With inputs from agencies.)