This article is about the radio host. For his show on BBC Radio 1, see Scott Mills (radio show). For the American business executive, see Scott Mills (businessman).

Scott Mills
Mills in 2024
Born
Scott Robert Mills[1]

(1973-03-28) 28 March 1973 (age 53)
Southampton, Hampshire, England[2]
Occupations
  • DJ
  • Radio and television personality
Years active 1989–present
Employer BBC (1998–2026)
Known for Scott Mills
Spouse
Sam Vaughan
​
(m. 2024)​

Scott Robert Mills (born 28 March 1973) is an English radio DJ, television presenter and occasional actor. He is best known for presenting the Scott Mills show on BBC Radio 1 from 2004 to 2022 and then, on BBC Radio 2, hosting the station's flagship breakfast show from January 2025 until his dismissal from the BBC in March 2026. He has also been a UK commentator for the semi-finals of the Eurovision Song Contest.

Early life

Mills grew up in and around Southampton,[3] attending Shakespeare Infant School and Crestwood College Secondary School in Eastleigh.[4] Mills's parents separated;[5] both have featured in his shows.[6]

Career

Radio

Early career

Mills began his career at the age of 16 as a DJ on his local Hampshire commercial radio station, Power FM, after barraging the station with demo tapes.[7] Mills was given an opportunity to present a week's worth of shows, and based on the success of this, he was immediately offered the 'graveyard slot' of 1:00 am – 6:00 am (six nights a week),[8] making him the youngest permanent presenter on mainstream commercial radio.[7] Mills later moved to the late afternoon 'drive time' slot.[8]

Mills moved from Power FM to GWR FM Bristol, staying with the station for two years,[7] before joining Piccadilly Key 103 in Manchester, starting on the late-night slot before moving to the mid-morning show.[7] In 1995, Mills began to work for the new London station Heart 106.2.[9]

Mills has provided various voice-overs, including the voice of the specialist of the in-store radio station Homebase FM,[10] the voice-over for Blockbuster Inc.'s in-store infomercial channel Blockbuster TV, and the voice-over for The VH1 Album Chart on the UK television channel VH1.[11]

BBC Radio 1

Mills in the BBC Radio 1 studio in 2011
Main article: Scott Mills (radio show)

Mills joined BBC Radio 1 in October 1998 to present the early breakfast show which was broadcast between 4 am and 7 am. In January 2004 Mills moved to a weekend afternoon slot, which was followed by a further move later that year to the weekday early-evening slot which was vacant due to Sara Cox's maternity leave.[5] Cox did not return and Mills became a permanent presenter of the early evening programme which was renamed The Scott Mills Show.[9] The programme moved to an afternoon slot in April 2012 when Mills swapped presenting duties with Greg James.[12]

Whilst at Radio 1, Mills also provided holiday cover for other presenters as well as hosting The Official Chart between June 2018 and August 2022.

On 1 July 2022 it was announced that Mills would be leaving Radio 1 after 24 years to replace Steve Wright in Steve Wright in the Afternoon on BBC Radio 2.[13] Scott Mills replaced Wright in the weekday afternoon slot on 31 October 2022.[14]

From 2011 to 2022 a long running segment on the programme was Innuendo Bingo, where guests would listen to clips of people unintentionally saying things that had innuendo whilst at the same time holding water in their mouths, with the object of the game being to stop themselves from spitting the water out of their mouth as they are laughing. The guests would be sat opposite Chris Stark who would also have water in his mouth and the game would often result in both the guest and Stark ending up completely soaked.[15][16]

BBC Radio 2

While being a regular daytime show host on BBC Radio 1, Mills hosted shows on Radio 2 as a cover presenter.

On 20 March 2017, he hosted a late-night show from 10 pm to 2 am for Sara Cox' Dance-a-Thon.[17]

On 28 May 2018, he presented a Bank Holiday Monday show, Radio 2 Remix, from 4 pm until 7 pm.[18] Immediately preceding the Radio 2 show, Mills presented from 1 pm on Radio 1, being one of the first[clarification needed] people ending a show on Radio 1 and starting one on Radio 2 at the same day.[19]

In April 2019, Mills was a stand in for Rylan Clark on Radio 2's Saturday afternoon show from 3 pm to 6 pm.[20]

From 2021–2022, Mills was the regular stand-in for Ken Bruce.[21]

On 1 July 2022, it was announced that Mills was to join Radio 2 permanently to replace Steve Wright in the Afternoon at the end of September 2022.[22] Mills's new show, running from 2–4 pm, debuted on 31 October.[citation needed]

On 19 November 2024, it was announced that Mills would[needs update] replace Zoe Ball as the presenter of Radio 2's breakfast show.[23] He presented the Scott Mills Breakfast Show from January 2025 until March 2026, when he was dismissed by the BBC after allegations were made about his "personal conduct" relating to a "historic relationship".[24]

BBC Radio 5 Live

Mills and his Radio 1 co-presenter Chris Stark also hosted a show on BBC Radio 5 Live, as part of the station's weekend line up starting on 9 November 2019. The show was broadcast between 9am and 11am.[25] The final show was on 20 August 2022.[citation needed]

Scott Mills: The Musical

A musical based on Mills's life was performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2009, running for three nights from 11 to 13 August, at the Pleasance One Theatre.[26] The musical was born from an internet rumour that Mills would perform in Rick Rolling the Musical as Rick Astley and other 1980s musicians. He denied this rumour on his radio show, and listeners' suggested the creation of a musical based on his life. Some of the songs were composed and sent in his listeners. The musical is available for viewing on the BBC Radio 1 website.[27]

Mills was challenged to do a one-man show at Edinburgh Fringe in 2010 by his co-hosts and production team.[28] The Bjorn Identity was a parody of The Bourne Identity, telling the story of Jason Bjorn with the music of ABBA.

Television work

In addition to his radio work, he has also appeared on various television shows, playing both as a character and as himself. His main acting role was as reporter Paul Lang in the BBC medical drama Casualty, appearing in episodes in both 2006 and 2007.[29][30] He also had a cameo in the BBC Scotland soap opera River City after praising the show highly on his radio show.[31] He also appeared as a police officer in the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks in 2008.[32]

Mills has appeared as a contestant or guest on programmes including Mastermind, Supermarket Sweep, Children in Need, Most Haunted and Never Mind the Buzzcocks,[29] and has appeared in the show Identity, hosted by Donny Osmond.[33]

He narrated the music TV show The Pop Years which, coincidentally, was also narrated by fellow BBC Radio 1 DJ Edith Bowman. He has presented high-profile programmes including the Wednesday night National Lottery draw on BBC One and his own pilot (featured on the radio show) of Reverse-a-Word.[29] He has narrated Dating in the Dark on Living. In February 2008, he presented Upstaged on the newly re-launched BBC Three.[34] He also hosted a BBC Three television show called Radio 1 on Three, inspired by his radio show.

In February 2011, Mills presented a BBC Three documentary about Uganda called The World's Worst Place to Be Gay?.[35]

Mills appeared on series 12 of Strictly Come Dancing and his dance partner was Joanne Clifton, sister of Kevin, who also dances on the show.[36] They came 11th in the competition after being eliminated in week 6.

Mills won, alongside Stark, the first episode of the two-episode Robot Wars: Battle of the Stars (2016) with their robot Arena Cleaner, which was a collaboration with Dave Moulds, who drove Carbide, second place in the preceding series. This was broadcast over the Christmas and New Year period 2016.[37][38]

Mills and his husband Sam won the second series of Celebrity Race Across the World travelling across South America.[39]

Charity work

In 2011, Mills took part in the BT Charity Trek along with other celebrities, as part of that year's Comic Relief Red Nose Day campaign. Participants spent five days in the Kaisut desert in north Kenya, covering 108 kilometres (67 miles) in temperatures up to 40 °C (104 °F).[40] The trek raised £1.375mn for Comic Relief.[41] On 16 and 17 November 2022, Mills raised over £1 million for Children in Need after riding on a treadmill for twenty four-hours.[42]

Mills supported the former climate change prevention charitable campaign Global Cool.[43]

From 2021 to 2026, when he was dropped following his departure from the BBC, Mills was a patron of the Neuroblastoma Society.[44]

Recognition

Plaque naming the Scott Mills Bridge

Mills was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Arts from Southampton Solent University on 2 November 2009.[45] On 16 March 2016, the bridge crossing the M3 at Fleet services was officially named the Scott Mills Bridge and a plaque unveiled.[46] The plaque was removed in April 2026 following Mills dismissal from the BBC.[47]

Personal life

Mills lives in London.[citation needed] Mills came out as gay to the press in 2001 to avoid tabloid-style speculation.[48] In his Guardian interview he said, "I'd just like to be accepted as a normal bloke who is gay and is on the radio and the television." Mills was ranked as the 12th most influential gay person in Britain on the Independent on Sunday's Pink List for 2010.[49] In October 2021, Mills announced his engagement to Sam Vaughan, his boyfriend of four years.[50] They married in Vilanova i la Geltrú, Spain, in June 2024.[51]

In March 2026, following his dismissal from the BBC, it was revealed that Mills was questioned by the Metropolitan Police in 2018, over allegations of "serious sexual offences" against a teenage boy under the age of 16.[24] These offences were alleged to have taken place between 1997 and 2000, when Mills was in his mid-20s. A file of evidence was passed on to the Crown Prosecution Service, who determined the case had insufficient evidence to continue. The investigation into Mills, which began in December 2016, was closed in May 2019.[52][53][54]

Awards

Year Ceremony Award Result
2017 ARIAs Best Entertainment/Comedy Production (BBC Radio 1 24 Hour "LOLathon" for Red Nose Day) Bronze[55]
2011 Stonewall Awards Broadcast of the Year (The World's Worst Place to Be Gay?) Won[56]
Sony Radio Academy Awards Music Radio Personality of the Year Nominated[57]
2010 Sony Radio Academy Awards Music Radio Personality of the Year Gold[58]
2007 Sony Radio Academy Awards The Interactive Programme Bronze[59]
2005 Loaded Laftas Funniest DJ Won[60]

References

  1. ^ "Scott Robert MILLS personal appointments – Find and update company information – GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  2. ^ "BBC – Radio 1 – Scott Mills – Biography". BBC. Retrieved 24 August 2025.
  3. ^ "My hometown in ten questions". BBC Radio 1. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  4. ^ "Miss Talbot by Scott Mills". Times Educational Supplement. 20 December 2013. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  5. ^ a b "Unofficial biography of Scott Mills". Unofficial Mills. Retrieved 26 June 2007.
  6. ^ "Scott Mills Features". Unofficial Mills. Archived from the original on 2 July 2007. Retrieved 26 June 2007.
  7. ^ a b c d "Scott Mills Official BBC Biography". BBC Press Office. August 2004. Archived from the original on 15 September 2007. Retrieved 26 June 2007.
  8. ^ a b "Alright Treac – Scott's in Town". BBC Cornwall. 10 August 2007. Retrieved 7 October 2008.
  9. ^ a b "Scott Mills Biography". BBC Radio 1. Retrieved 26 June 2007.
  10. ^ "My name is Scott part two". BBC Radio 1. Archived from the original on 9 March 2008. Retrieved 1 August 2007.
  11. ^ "The VH1 Album Chart". Archived from the original on 22 December 2007. Retrieved 1 January 2008.
  12. ^ "Radio 1 schedule: Scott Mills and Greg James to swap". BBC Radio 1. 28 February 2012.
  13. ^ Evans, Connie; Clarke, Naomi (1 July 2022). "Scott Mills leaving Radio 1 to replace Steve Wright on Radio 2". Yahoo News. PA Media. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
  14. ^ "Scott Mills to replace Steve Wright on BBC Radio 2 afternoon show". BBC News. 2 July 2022. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
  15. ^ "Innuendo Bingo". BBC. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
  16. ^ "The FINAL Innuendo Bingo with Scott & Chris". BBC Radio One. 25 August 2022. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
  17. ^ "BBC Radio 2 – Sounds Of The 80s with Gary Davies, With Scott Mills". BBC. Retrieved 7 April 2019.
  18. ^ "BBC Radio 2 – The Radio 2 Remix". BBC. Retrieved 7 April 2019.
  19. ^ "Scott Mills does the double on Radio 1 and Radio 2". RadioToday. 23 May 2018. Retrieved 7 April 2019.
  20. ^ "BBC Radio 2 – Rylan On Saturday, Scott Mills sits in". BBC. Retrieved 7 April 2019.
  21. ^ "BBC Radio 2 – Ken Bruce, Scott Mills sits in with Griff choosing Tracks of My Years".
  22. ^ "BBC Radio 2 Autumn Schedule Changes". BBC. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
  23. ^ Rufo, Yasmin (30 March 2026). "Scott Mills sacked from BBC Radio 2 over 'personal conduct'". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  24. ^ a b Graham, Chris; Rufo, Yasmin; Glynn, Paul (30 March 2026). "Teenage boy at centre of Scott Mills sexual offences investigation was under 16 police say". BBC News. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  25. ^ "BBC – Scott Mills to present Saturday morning show on BBC Radio 5 live – Media Centre". BBC. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
  26. ^ "Scott Mills The Musical – Radio 1 Pages". BBC. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  27. ^ "Radio 1 – Scott Mills The Musical – Home". BBC. 24 February 2007. Retrieved 14 August 2009.
  28. ^ "Scott Mills returns to the Fringe". 8 July 2010. Archived from the original on 14 July 2010.
  29. ^ a b c "Scott Mills Filmography". IMDb. Retrieved 26 June 2007.
  30. ^ "Scott Mills appearances". Holby.tv Fansite. Retrieved 12 July 2007.
  31. ^ Innes, John (22 September 2004). "Radio One DJ bids to give River City a wider show". The Scotsman. Retrieved 12 July 2007.
  32. ^ "Scott visits Hollyoaks". 26 June 2008.
  33. ^ Wilson, David (25 August 2007). "Guess who". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 12 November 2007. Retrieved 5 September 2007.
  34. ^ "Upstaged". BBC. Retrieved 9 February 2008.
  35. ^ "The World's Worst Place to Be Gay?". BBC. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
  36. ^ "Strictly Come Dancing 2014 line-up: Scott Mills confirmed to hit the dancefloor". The Independent. 26 August 2014.
  37. ^ "Celebs commence battle in BBC Two's Robot Wars: Battle of the Stars". BBC. 2 December 2016. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  38. ^ Fullerton, Huw (25 November 2016). "The Robot Wars Christmas special has unveiled its first celebrity guests". Radio Times. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  39. ^ Perrin, Lucy (27 September 2024). "Race Across the World winners: 'We thought Scott had dengue fever in Brazil'". The Times. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
  40. ^ Donate – Scott Mills | Red Nose Day 2011 Archived 24 February 2011 at the Wayback Machine, BBC
  41. ^ Lake, Howard (19 March 2011). "Comic Relief raises record £74,360,207 on Red Nose Day". UK Fundraising. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  42. ^ "Scott Mills raises £1m in Children In Need treadmill challenge". BBC News. 16 November 2022.
  43. ^ "Scott Mills' Amsterdam diary". Global Cool. UK: Global Cool Foundation. 5 April 2010. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
  44. ^ Preston, Rob (31 March 2026). "Scott Mills dropped as charity patron". Civil Society Monitor. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  45. ^ Scott Mills gets degree from Southampton Solent University, DailyEcho.co.uk.
  46. ^ BBC Radio 1 Scott Mills Show 15 March 2016
  47. ^ https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/scott-mills-bridge-plaque-m3-36962435.amp
  48. ^ Wells, Matt (7 August 2001). "Coming out nerves for Radio 1's early bird". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 26 June 2007.
  49. ^ "The IoS Pink List 2010". The Independent. London. 1 August 2010. Retrieved 26 February 2011.
  50. ^ Mills, Scott. "Instagram". Archived from the original on 23 December 2021. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  51. ^ Roberts, Hannah (3 June 2024). "Scott Mills marries partner Sam Vaughan in Spanish ceremony". Evening Standard. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
  52. ^ Simpson, Craig; Shanagher, Lily; Bolton, Will (31 March 2026). "Scott Mills's alleged victim was boy under 16". The Telegraph. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  53. ^ Grierson, Jamie (31 March 2026). "Scott Mills was questioned by police in 2018 over allegations of sexual offences against boy under 16". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  54. ^ BBC sacked Scott Mills after learning alleged victim in police investigation was under 16 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4gv7yj71llo
  55. ^ "ARIAS 2017". Retrieved 4 November 2017.[permanent dead link]
  56. ^ "Broadcast of the Year Award". Retrieved 9 November 2011.
  57. ^ "Music Radio Personality of the Year Award". Retrieved 9 May 2011.
  58. ^ "Music Radio Personality of the Year Award". Retrieved 11 May 2010.
  59. ^ "2007 The Interactive Programme Award". Retrieved 20 June 2009.
  60. ^ "Scott Mills Career". Unofficial Mills.

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