By PA News Agency-
BBC bosses reportedly knew former BBC Radio 2 presenter Scott Mills had been questioned by police in 2018 – more than seven years before he was sacked.
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Mills was questioned under caution by officers in July 2018, and The Sun reported Mills denied the claims at the time and informed the BBC
The Sun reported the sexual offences allegations were first reported by a third party in 2012 to Hampshire Police, which logged the details and later passed on information to the Met’s Operation Winter Key investigation.
The Met, which does not identify people under investigation pre-charge, said it closed its investigation in May 2019 following advice from the Crown Prosecution Service that “the evidential threshold had not been met to bring charges”.
Colleagues at the station reacted with shock at Mills’ sacking, with presenter Jeremy Vine drawing a comparison with how the BBC dealt with Huw Edwards, who was given a suspended jail sentence after admitting making indecent images of children.
Vine said on Tuesday there was a suggestion BBC bosses had acted swiftly against Mills because they “decided to treat Scott as they wish they treated Huw, which would be a bit unfair, would it not?”
In an email sent to staff on Monday, Lorna Clarke, the BBC’s director of music, acknowledged the news was “sudden and unexpected, and therefore must come as a shock”.
The BBC said it would not comment beyond an earlier statement which said: “While we do not comment on matters relating to individuals, we can confirm Scott Mills is no longer contracted to work with the BBC.”
The corporation has also issued an apology for not following up after a separate allegation of “inappropriate communications” by Mills was raised by a journalist last year.
The BBC 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.”