Scott Mills’ former colleague bluntly asked ‘did you hear rumours?’

Scott Mills’ former BBC Radio colleague was bluntly asked ‘did you hear rumours?’ while appearing on Tuesday’s episode of Good Morning Britain, after police probed the DJ for ‘serious sex offences against teenage boy’ in 2016. 

On Monday (March 30) it was revealed that the Radio 2 star, 53, was fired by the Beeb over his ‘personal conduct’.

It was later reported that day that the decision to sack Scott came after a 2016 police investigation into ‘serious sexual offences’ against a teenage boy.

Scott was taken off air last week while bosses looked at the claim before announcing his dismissal on Monday – just six days after he vanished from Radio 2. 

Former BBC Radio DJ Nihal Arthanayake, 54 – who has worked with Scott in the past – appeared on the latest instalment of the TV show to talk about Scott’s dismissal with hosts Kate Garraway and Paul Brand. 

Kate asked: ‘You worked with him for a long time. Were there ever rumours swirling?’

Nihal replied: ‘So it’s such an interesting point, Kate. This industry, we’ve all worked in for a number of years, is actually quite small.

‘If you are a bit of a “wrongun”  eventually people just say in corridors “he or she is a bit of a wrongun”.

‘In all of my 12 years at Radio 1, I didn’t ever hear a bad word about Scott Mills. I have to just say that, right. 

‘That was the reality. That was my experience, and other’s experience.’ 

Earlier on in the interview, Paul asked what his reaction was when he heard the news, to which Nihal said: ‘This was not on anyone’s Monday bingo card, was it? 

‘That Scott Mills, one of the most high profile presenters on the BBC, was going to be fired. The shock.

‘And also, as well, of course, this has been pointed out previously this morning, this is one lurching from one crisis to another it seems.

‘Lots of people like me who have worked with Scott for a number of years, this was always his dream. 

‘Of all the Radio 1 presenters of my generation, the Fern Cottons and Reggies and Vernons, the one person we knew would end up eventually on Radio 2 was Scott Mills. 

‘Everybody knew it and spoke about it – so he got his dream job, first at drive, and then of course, breakfast.

‘I need to say this,me personally, my first thoughts are obviously with the alleged victim here. Without question.

‘But also Scott Mills is a human, he’s a person that got his dream job and that has been taken away from him.’ 

Nihal joined the BBC as part of the BBC Radio 1 team in 2002 a co-host of Asian Beats, and then became the host of the weekend Breakfast Show on the station, followed by working on the weekend afternoons.  

The BBC’s decision to sack Scott Mills came after a 2016 police investigation into ‘serious sexual offences’ against a teenage boy, the Daily Mirror has reported.

The Radio 2 DJ, 53 – who was stunningly axed by the broadcaster on Monday – was questioned by police at the time but no charges were brought and the case was dropped due to a lack of evidence.

A representative for Mills declined to comment when approached by the Daily Mail.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: ‘In December 2016, the Met began an investigation following a referral from another police force. The investigation related to allegations of serious sexual offences against a teenage boy. 

‘These were reported to have taken place between 1997 and 2000. As part of these enquiries, a man who was in his 40s at the time of the interview, was questioned by police under caution in July 2018. 

‘A full file of evidence was submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service, who determined the evidential threshold had not been met to bring charges. Following this advice, the investigation was closed in May 2019.’ 

It comes after Mills – one of the BBC’s biggest and highest-paid stars – was reportedly sacked following an allegation made against his ‘personal conduct’, relating to a ‘historic relationship’ dating back more than 10 years.

The BBC has declined to comment on the issue further since his dismissal was announced on Monday.  

A spokesman said: ‘While we do not comment on matters relating to individuals, we can confirm Scott Mills is no longer contracted to work with the BBC.’ 

The DJ recently talked about never knowing when his career would end, just a month before his BBC axing.  

Mills admitted in recent years he had been branching out into TV projects outside of his ‘natural environment’.

In an exclusive interview at the Attitude 101 event in February, he reflected on his 25-year career in radio, saying: ‘You never know when all this is going to stop.’

Referring to his appearances on ITV’s The Masked Singer last year and the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing in 2011, he added: ‘Why am I doing all these mad things? It’s not really like me at all. I’m trying to do them so it makes everything else less scary.

‘I’m just trying to do it all. You never know when all this is going to stop, so why not do it? 

‘Who gets to do the things I’ve been doing? It’s mad. So I truly believe that even if something terrifies you, do it.’