Scott Mills has been sacked by the BBC following a complaint about his personal conduct.
The 53-year-old Radio 2 star was taken off air last week while bosses looked at the claim before announcing his dismissal today.
The BBC said in a statement: ‘While we do not comment on matters relating to individuals, we can confirm Scott Mills is no longer contracted to work with the BBC.’
Mills, who is paid between £355,000 and £359,999 a year by the BBC, took over the Radio 2 breakfast show from Zoe Ball in 2025. He married his long-term partner Sam Vaughan at a celebrity-studded wedding in Barcelona in 2024.
The presenter was last on air on Tuesday, with veteran DJ Gary Davies replacing him from Wednesday onwards.
As he handed over on what was to become his final show, Mills joked about waxing his legs and doing Stars In Their Eyes with fellow Radio 2 presenter Vernon Kay, before signing off with: ‘See you tomorrow.’
Davies did not address the reason for Mills’s absence when he began Wednesday’s show, telling listeners: ‘Morning, Gary in for Scott.’
News of Scott Mills’ sacking led the 12pm bulletin on his former station BBC Radio 2.
At the start of his show on BBC Radio 2, Jeremy Vine said he was ‘taken aback’ by the news about Scott Mills. He said: ‘Obviously, I was taken aback by that opening story to the news.
‘I had not heard anything about it until 17 minutes ago, when it was on the BBC website, and I only had the information that was given to you in the bulletin, I have nothing more, that it was allegations about Scott Mills’s personal conduct, which have led to him being sacked.
‘I have no more than that. Alright, on to today’s show.’
Lorna Clarke, Director of Music, reportedly told BBC staff in an email: ‘I wanted to personally let you know that Scott Mills has left the Breakfast show, and the BBC. I know that this news will be sudden and unexpected and therefore must come as a shock.
‘Not least as so many of us have worked with Scott over a great many years, across a broad range of our programmes on R1, 5Live, R2 and TV. I felt it was important to share this news with you at the earliest opportunity.
‘Of course, it will also come as a shock to our audience and loyal breakfast show listeners too. I will update everyone with more information on plans for the show when I’m able to. While I appreciate many of you will have questions, I hope you can understand that I am not going to be saying anything.’
The DJ, from Southampton, began his BBC career on Radio 1 in the late 1990s as the early breakfast host, before going on to present weekend slots and then an early evening show while providing maternity cover for Sara Cox. When Cox did not return, the programme was renamed The Scott Mills Show.
In 2022, he joined Radio 2, replacing Steve Wright in his weekday afternoon slot.
He has presented a number of shows on the station before taking up the Breakfast Show after Ball’s departure.
He has also presented a weekend show on Radio 5 Live and appeared on series 12 of Strictly Come Dancing, where he was paired with professional dancer Joanne Clifton, becoming the fifth couple to be eliminated.
He has also been a commentator for the Eurovision Song Contest on the BBC.
Mills’s departure comes weeks before Google executive Matt Brittin is due to start as the BBC’s new director general – replacing Tim Davie.
Jo Mackie, employment law partner at national law firm Michelmores, said: ‘The BBC has not said on what grounds it has sacked Mills at this time except that it’s a ”personal conduct” issue.
‘However we can assume it must be a very significant issue for them to dismiss him immediately like this given he is one of their biggest stars.
‘The BBC has faced criticism for several years for not making immediate and robust decisions and so this could be the start of the new look of their HR and employment regime.’
The news will be a blow to Mills, who welcomed his unveiling as Zoe Ball’s replacement last year by saying he had finally ‘made it’.
He told how he had started out as a local DJ host earning just £20 a show but had enjoyed success after ‘playing the long game’.
Mills recounted his personal journey at the start of his first show, telling listeners: ‘Here we go then, Monday the 27th of January 2025 and this is The Scott Mills Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 2, and I can’t believe I am finally saying those words,’ the presenter began.
‘As a radio presenter and a radio fan all my life, I’m still finding it quite hard to process that this is happening, if I’m honest. If I think too much about the previous occupiers of this show it becomes mind-blowing to me for a kid who wanted to be on the radio, but wasn’t sure he had the self-confidence to be able to actually do it.’
Mills promised to make listeners smile and dance and ‘keep your spirits up on mornings when maybe you don’t feel so great’.
‘I’ve worked at the BBC for 25 years now on the radio,’ he continued. ‘A lot of you may well have grown up listening to me, I’m sure a lot of you will not have much idea about me at all.
‘Either way, if you could make me part of your morning routine, it would honestly mean so much because, believe me, I’m gonna give it absolutely everything I’ve got.’
BBC Radio has seen a wave of personnel changes and restructurings in recent years.
Liza Tarbuck became the last to go earlier this month after she announced she was quitting her popular Radio 2 Saturday evening show.
The actress had been hosting the 6-8pm slot since 2012 and amassed an army of loyal fans.
‘I think you’ve guessed, some fool left a door open & I sneaked out – a French exit!’ she wrote.
‘Together we made 2 hours of radio feel like a private member’s club, that’s the stuff of dreams, thousands of people enjoying each others company like great friends. Imagine what else we could do.
‘Thank you for letting me in, it’s been a privilege. [TARBUCK doffs a battered bowler hat & bows deeply] See you on the ice.’
Kaye Adams was axed from BBC Radio Scotland after a disciplinary probe found her culpable of inappropriate behaviour, including allegedly swearing at a colleague, throwing a pen at another and berating an intern’s professional ability.
Amol Rajan stepped down from Radio 4’s Today programme in January after deciding to pursue other opportunities, but will continue to present University Challenge and the Radical With Amol Rajan podcast.
The Daily Mail has contacted Mills’s representatives for comment.
