BBC Issues Grovelling Apology: Corporation Knew Of Scott Mills Allegations A Year Ago

The BBC has admitted it failed to follow up allegations about Scott Mills, 53, almost a year before his axing from Radio 2, acknowledging in a statement that information it received in May 2025 about the DJ's alleged conduct involving 'inappropriate communications' should have triggered further questions.

The news came after The Telegraph reported that a former BBC presenter had contacted the corporation last year to ask whether it was 'ever aware of or involved in any related matters' concerning Scott Mills.

According to the paper, the presenter had been told of alleged safeguarding concerns and wrote to the BBC to ask if any 'formal or informal complaints' had previously been made, and whether the broadcaster had ever conducted an internal investigation into the veteran radio host.

BBC Grapples With Missed Warning Over Scott Mills Allegations

According to The Telegraph, freelance journalist and former BBC presenter Anna Brees wrote to the corporation in May 2025, stating that she had received information about alleged safeguarding issues and 'inappropriate conduct or harassment' involving Mills.

She asked explicitly whether the BBC had ever received complaints of that nature, and whether any internal investigation had been carried out.

The paper reported that Brees received no reply at the time. In its account of the saga, it said, 'She did not receive a response. On Tuesday [31 March], the BBC admitted her information "should have been followed up and we should have asked further questions".'

Pressed by the newspaper, the BBC issued a written statement. 'We received a press query in 2025 which included limited information,' the corporation said. 'This should have been followed up and we should have asked further questions.'

The BBC added, '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.'

There is, at this stage, no suggestion that the inquiries made by Brees related to the same alleged victim whose later complaint led to Mills being questioned by police in 2018.

A Sudden Exit For Scott Mills As BBC Scrambles For Answers

The apology over missed Scott Mills allegations comes against the backdrop of his rapid departure from one of the BBC's most prized slots. Mills had taken over the BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show from Zoe Ball last year, after nearly two decades helming The Scott Mills Show on Radio 1 and establishing himself as one of the most familiar voices on British radio.

Earlier reports from The Mirror and others said Mills was taken off air on a Tuesday and had his contract terminated over the following weekend, after the BBC received an allegation relating to his personal conduct.

He was due to host a new BBC podcast, Race Across the World: The Detour, and had a long‑trailed appearance on The Great British Bake Off reportedly still set to air.

Inside the BBC, the speed of the decision appears to have rattled colleagues. An internal email from BBC music controller Lorna Clarke, seen by Deadline and quoted in the source material, told staff, '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.'

She added, '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 further now.'

BBC Says Previous Received Information 'Limited'

The corporation is keen to stress that the information it received in 2025 was 'limited', and that there is no proven link to the allegations, as of this reporting, which finally ended Mills' career at the broadcaster.

Meanwhile, Mills himself has not given a full public account of his downfall according to the source, beyond references elsewhere to a 'rare' and 'final' decision. The BBC's only on-the-record comment on his status is starkly transactional, '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 earned between £355,000 and £359,999 for the year up to April 2025, had been a BBC fixture since 1998. He moved from Radio 1 to Radio 2, replacing Steve Wright in 2022 before landing the plum Breakfast slot.

His sacking blindsided colleagues, with BBC music director Lorna Clarke emailing staff to say the news was 'sudden and unexpected' and would shock those who had worked with him across Radio 1, 5 Live, Radio 2 and TV. He was abruptly dropped by the corporation over what has been described publicly as 'personal conduct' following a complaint.