BBC knew about police investigation into Scott Mills in 2018

BBC bosses reportedly knew former BBC Radio 2 presenter Scott Mills had been questioned by police in 2018 – more than seven years before he was sacked.

The Metropolitan Police launched an investigation into the 53-year-old in 2016 over allegations of serious sexual offences involving a teenage boy under 16 between 1997 and 2000.

Mills was questioned under caution by officers in July 2018, and The Sun reported Mills denied the claims at the time and informed the BBC.

The newspaper said BBC bosses decided not to take the then Radio 1 presenter off air at the time and the case was later dropped in May 2019 due to lack of evidence.

Hampshire Police say the sexual offences allegations were first reported by a third party in 2016, and that the force logged the details and passed on information to the Met for investigation.

On Monday, the corporation revealed it had terminated Mills’ contract just days after taking him off air last week, which The Mirror reported came after the BBC were passed new claims relating to the same complainant that differ from the allegations at the centre of the police probe.

The Met, which does not identify people under investigation pre-charge, said it closed its investigation in May 2019 following advice from the Crown Prosecution Service that “the evidential threshold had not been met to bring charges”.

Mills last hosted Radio 2’s Breakfast Show on Tuesday March 24 and signed off with “see you tomorrow”, before being replaced by Gary Davies.

Colleagues at the station reacted with shock at Mills’ sacking, with presenter Jeremy Vine drawing a comparison with how the BBC dealt with Huw Edwards, who was given a suspended jail sentence after admitting making indecent images of children.

The corporation was informed that Edwards had been arrested in November 2023 but continued to employ the veteran broadcaster until April 2024, when he resigned on medical advice.

Vine said on Tuesday there was a suggestion BBC bosses had acted swiftly against Mills because they “decided to treat Scott as they wish they treated Huw, which would be a bit unfair, would it not?”

In an email sent to staff on Monday, Lorna Clarke, the BBC’s director of music, acknowledged the news was “sudden and unexpected, and therefore must come as a shock”.

Mills has been contacted for comment.

The BBC said it would not comment beyond an earlier statement which 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 corporation has also issued an apology for not following up after a separate allegation of “inappropriate communications” by Mills was raised by a journalist last year.

The BBC said: “We received a press query in 2025 which included limited information. This should have been followed up and we should have asked further questions. We apologise for this and will look into why this did not happen.

“More broadly, we would always urge anyone who has concerns or information to raise it with us.”

It has also been announced that children’s cancer charity Neuroblastoma UK has decided to “part ways” with Mills, who had been a patron since 2021.

A statement from the charity said: “Following his dismissal from the BBC, Neuroblastoma UK have taken the decision to part ways with Scott Mills, and he is no longer a patron of our charity.

“We have communicated this decision to Scott and his team, and would like to thank him for his support to date.

“We remain unwavering in our mission to fund research to find better treatments, and a cure, for neuroblastoma.”