BBC legend ‘set to replace Scott Mills’ on Radio 2 Breakfast Show after his sacking
Scott Mills was sacked from Radio 2 following historic claims of “serious” sexual assault, and now it’s believed BBC bosses are lining up one of his Radio 2 colleagues
Scott Mills was sacked by the BBC last month(Image: @realscottmills/Instagram)
BBC bosses are reportedly lining up beloved broadcaster Sara Cox to replace Scott Mills on the Radio 2 Breakfast Show after his sacking.
The former BBC Radio 2 host, 53, was axed by the BBC last month over historic claims of sexual assault. It later emerged the Metropolitan Police had launched an investigation into Mills in 2016 over allegations of serious sexual offences involving a teenage boy under 16 between 1997 and 2000.
The police probe was closed in 2019 and the presenter was not charged as the Crown Prosection Service detemined the “evidential threshold had not been met”. The BBC axed him after receiving “new information” in the weeks prior to his sacking – and it’s it’s said this information was that the boy at the centre of the probe was under 16.
It’s now said that broadcaster Sara Cox, 51, is being seen as the “heir apparent” for the role and is set to be offered it this summer. Mills had previously taken over the reigns from Zoe Ball in January 2025.
A source told The Sun: “Sara is the heir apparent for the Breakfast Show job. Since Scott left, she has been the name which has been discussed as the best candidate and everyone at Radio 2 is saying she will be offered it.
“Sara has made a huge success of her drivetime slot and is hugely popular at the station, plus she’s hosted the Breakfast Show as a stand-in before.
“The BBC won’t be rushing this through as they want the dust to settle. But Sara is the one in line and, as far as her colleagues are concerned, she is the best person for the job.” A BBC spokesperson said: “Further news on a permanent replacement will follow in due course.”
Cox currently presents Radio 2’s teatime show, airing weekdays from 4 until 7pm. She joined the BBC in 1999 as a Radio 1 DJ and was a stand-in host on Radio 2 before landing her permanent Radio 2 show – Sounds of the 80s- in 2013.
The mum-of-three replaced Simon Mayo as Radio 2’s drivetime presenter in 2019 and has stood in on the Breakfast Show for years, covering for Mills himself and Chris Evans. She has previously said of working for Radio 2: “It’s sort of my dream job.”
After Mills’ sacking, BBC has admitted it knew about a police investigation into allegations of a historical sexual offence in 2017, but said it “acted decisively” after receiving “new information” in the weeks before his sacking.
Mills released a statement last week through his lawyers saying he had been the subject of “rumour and speculation” since he was fired, and that he “co-operated fully” with the police investigation into allegations of a historical sexual offence. He said he did not want to comment further.
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