BBC apologises after failing to follow up allegations about Scott Mills

The BBC has apologised after failing to follow up on allegations about Radio DJ Scott Mills that were raised last year.

The broadcaster confirmed it received a press enquiry in 2025 containing limited information about alleged inappropriate messaging involving Mills but did not take further action at the time.

Former presenter Anna Brees said she contacted the BBC in May 2025 after being given information from what she described as a credible source. According to Brees, the information related to Mills allegedly “messaging someone inappropriately”.

She said she decided to pass on the details because she was concerned and wanted the BBC to investigate further. However, she said she did not receive any response after making contact.

In a statement, the BBC acknowledged that it should have acted differently. A spokesperson said the organisation should have followed up the enquiry and asked further questions.

The broadcaster apologised for the lack of action and said it would look into why the matter was not pursued at the time.

The issue is separate from previous allegations involving Mills. The Metropolitan Police confirmed that he had been investigated in 2016 over alleged serious sexual offences involving a teenage boy.

Police said the alleged offences were reported to have taken place between 1997 and 2000. During the investigation, a man in his 40s was interviewed under caution in July 2018.

A full file of evidence was later passed to the Crown Prosecution Service. However, prosecutors determined that the evidential threshold had not been met to bring charges, and the investigation was closed in May 2019.

The police stated that the victim was under the age of 16 but did not provide further details due to the risk of identification.

Mills has not publicly commented on the recent allegations or developments. He was last on air on Tuesday of the previous week.

The BBC also confirmed that Mills had left the broadcaster. In an internal message to staff, Lorna Clarke, the BBC’s director of music, said the news would come as a shock to many employees.

She noted that Mills had worked across multiple BBC platforms over the years, including Radio 1, 5 Live, Radio 2 and television.

Reports indicated that Mills had been dismissed from his role at BBC Radio 2 on Monday over allegations relating to personal conduct.

Following news of his departure, he was also dropped by the child cancer charity Neuroblastoma UK, where he had served as a patron.

The BBC’s admission that it failed to follow up on the earlier information has raised questions about its internal processes and how such reports are handled.

The organisation has said it will review what happened to understand why the enquiry was not pursued and whether changes are needed.

The case continues to draw attention as further details emerge, with the BBC acknowledging that it should have taken additional steps when first alerted to the claims