Former BBC Radio 2 presenter Scott Mills has made his first public statement since being sacked by the broadcaster in response to past police investigations into alleged sex crimes.In a statement released through his lawyer, Mills said he had been the subject of “rumors and speculation” following his sudden exit.“My recent announcement that I was no longer contracted to the BBC has led to rumors and speculation,” he said.Mills confirmed he was at the center of the investigation, adding that police were investigating an allegation made in 2016 and that he had “fully cooperated” with authorities.He noted that the Crown Prosecution Service concluded there was insufficient evidence to bring charges and the case was closed in 2019.Mills said the allegation dates back nearly three decades and the investigation was concluded years ago, adding that he hoped the public would respect his decision not to comment further.“I want to thank … my former colleagues and my dear listeners, whom I miss terribly,” he said.
Why was he fired?
The BBC terminated Mills’ contract last week after receiving “new information” in recent weeks, despite knowing about the investigation as early as 2017.A spokesman said the broadcaster’s action was “decisive” and consistent with its internal standards and cultural reforms.
what is going on
The Metropolitan Police launched an investigation in 2016 into allegations of serious sexual offenses involving a boy under the age of 16, which are alleged to have occurred between 1997 and 2000.In 2018, Mills was interrogated under caution. However, prosecutors later ruled that their evidentiary threshold had not been met and no charges were filed.The identity of the alleged victim has not been released.
career and consequences
Despite the conclusion of the investigation, Mills continued to rise within the BBC and went on to present one of the UK’s most famous radio programmes, The Radio 2 Breakfast Show.His last show aired in March before he abruptly went off the air. He finally said “come back tomorrow” but didn’t come back.Separately, a children’s charity he was associated with parted ways with him following the controversy.The BBC said the organization had been aware of the investigation for years and was reviewing what it knew internally about the case.The broadcaster reiterated its commitment to improving workplace culture and said action would be taken if standards were not being met.
