The BBC has apologised for its response after allegations about Scott Mills were raised with the broadcaster last year.
Mills was sacked with immediate effect by the BBC on Monday over his “personal conduct”. It then emerged he had been questioned over separate allegations of serious sexual offences against a boy aged under 16 in 2018, but the case was later closed due to lack of evidence.
The Telegraph reported on Tuesday evening that a freelance journalist had contacted the corporation in May 2025 to say she had received information about separate allegations of “inappropriate communications” involving the presenter and asked whether the broadcaster was “ever aware of or involved in any related matters”.
The journalist also asked whether it had ever received any “formal or informal complaints” about Mills “relating to safeguarding, inappropriate conduct or harassment” and whether it had ever conducted an internal investigation into him, but did not receive a response.
A BBC spokesperson 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.”
Mills, who hosted Britain’s most popular radio breakfast show on BBC Radio 2, was taken off the air last week, and the BBC announced on Monday that his contract had been terminated.
It said he was sacked due to allegations related to “personal conduct”, while the Mirror newspaper, which broke the story, reported that the allegations concerned a historical relationship.
Late on Monday, the Mirror reported that Mill’s sacking related to a police investigation in 2016 into alleged serious sexual offences against a teenage boy that was dropped due to a lack of evidence.
A Metropolitan police spokesperson 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 inquiries, 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.”
The Met confirmed separately that the boy was under 16 and the force that referred the original complaint was Hampshire constabulary.
The BBC and representatives of Mills have been approached for comment about the latest reports.
After the sacking was announced, the broadcaster 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 has also been dropped as a patron by the charity Neuroblastoma UK, which aims to fund research into more effective treatments for the childhood cancer.
A spokesperson told the Mirror: “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.”
The presenter, 53, is from Southampton and started his radio career in the county.
Mills took over the Radio 2 breakfast show from Zoe Ball in January 2025. Under his stewardship, the show’s audience increased to 6.5 million listeners, making it the UK’s most popular breakfast show.
He had joined the station’s weekday schedule in 2022 when he replaced Steve Wright as the host of the afternoon slot, having previously worked on Radio 1 and hosted a weekend show on Radio 5 Live.
His dismissal is the latest crisis to hit the BBC over the alleged behaviour of one of its leading figures. The broadcaster has repeatedly said it is trying to create a culture where no one is unaccountable, after allegations against prominent presenters such as Huw Edwards and Tim Westwood.
The departure took place in Tim Davie’s last week as the BBC’s director general. He announced his resignation at the end of last year after a series of crises, including over the conduct of some BBC presenters.
