Scott Mills’ alleged victim maintained contact with the BBC Radio 2 presenter for eight years following the claimed offenses between 1997 and 2000. Officials terminated his contract last week after receiving new information about his conduct.
Continued Friendship Post-Incident
Sources familiar with Mills during the 2000s confirm the accuser, referred to as the ‘lad,’ remained friendly with the broadcaster. They first learned of the individual in 2001, with interactions continuing until around 2006. One associate noted, ‘They used to see each other, and Scott was friendly with him like he was with a lot of people. I’m sure they were still in contact until around 2006, it suggests they were still on good terms.’
Police Investigation Timeline
Hampshire Police received allegations in 2016 of serious sexual offenses against a boy aged 13 to 16. The Metropolitan Police took over in December 2016, interviewing Mills under caution in 2018 without arrest. Prosecutors closed the case in 2019, determining insufficient evidence for charges.
The BBC learned of the probe in 2017 and maintained contact with police on multiple occasions through 2025. Corporation leaders acted on fresh details in recent weeks, ending Mills’ contracts on March 27.
Mills Addresses Allegations
In a statement released through his lawyers, the 53-year-old confirmed his involvement in the 2016 investigation. He stated: ‘An allegation was made against me in 2016 of a historic sexual offence which was the subject of a police investigation in which I fully cooperated and responded to in 2018. As the police have stated, a file of evidence was submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service, which determined that the evidential threshold had not been met to bring charges.’
Mills added: ‘Since the investigation related to an allegation that dates back nearly 30 years and the police investigation was closed seven years ago, I hope that the public and the media will understand and respect my wish not to make any further public comment on this matter. I wish to thank from the bottom of my heart all those who have reached out to me with kindness, my former colleagues and my beloved listeners, who I greatly miss.’
BBC’s Response and Oversight Questions
A BBC spokesperson explained: ‘In recent weeks, we obtained new information relating to Scott and we spoke directly with him. As a result, the BBC acted decisively in line with our culture and values and terminated his contracts on Friday, March 27.’
The organization acknowledged prior awareness of the investigation but noted it lacked full details, such as the accuser’s age. It also admitted failing to follow up on a 2025 query from former presenter Anna Brees regarding alleged inappropriate communications. ‘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,’ the spokesperson said.
Metropolitan Police confirmed ongoing discussions with the BBC since 2017, including recent lawyer contacts after the new information surfaced.
