BBC radio presenter Scott Mills has revealed how close he was to losing his job before he was named as Zoe Ball’s replacement on the BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show
Scott Mills admitted he very nearly didn’t land his dream role on the Radio 2 Breakfast Show after replacing Zoe Ball on her morning show on the airwaves. However, despite being with the organisation since 1998, he has confessed his time was almost cut short by furious bosses long before his axing this week.
Scott was talking to Dermot O’Leary when he revealed how his boozy antics almost cost him his job years before news of his sacking. He opened up on the altercation that had followed a night out after the Brit Awards. after Dermot played a clip of Scott slurring his words on his early morning Radio 1 show in 2001.
He confessed that was the moment he was almost removed from his role by bosses, admitting: “That’s called how to really nearly lose your job at BBC. I had got carried away so much at the Brit Awards, because I had never been there before, and time just fast-forwarded, and somebody went, what time are you on air?
READ MORE: Scott Mills sacked: Bombshell letter BBC boss sent to staff over ‘sudden’ sackingREAD MORE: Scott Mills’ husband and life off radio as he is sacked by the BBC over personal conduct
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“And I said, ‘Four?’ and they went, ‘Well, it’s two now’. Oh no! It was horrendous.” Scott claimed his actions were “naive and stupid”, explaining how his bosses were “quite rightly” furious. “And also, there was a thing, at Radio 1 then, called the den,” he went on.
“This probably wasn’t allowed, but why go home when you can have a couple hours of sleep in the den? I mean, I was young, I’m in my 20s, right?”
Scott’s admission comes as it was revealed he is no longer contracted by the BBC. The BBC said today (Monday): “While we do not comment on matters relating to individuals, we can confirm Scott Mills is no longer contracted to work with the BBC.”
Lorna Clarke, Director of Music, released a statement to staff too, reading: “I wanted to personally let you know that Scott Mills has left the Breakfast show, and the BBC. I know that this news will be sudden and unexpected and therefore must come as a shock.”
Scott’s previous roles saw him presenting the 2-4pm slot on BBC Radio 2 as well as the early start on Radio 1. After the announcement he was replacing Zoe Ball, who had presented the breakfast slot for six years, Scott revealed how she had helped him 20 years ago.
He opened opened up on a small mistake Zoe made years ago, which, in an unexpected turn of events, helped propel his career forward. He explained to her: “I will never forget how you really took me under your wing and you really looked after me because I didn’t know one person there.”
He continued to tell how Zoe overslept into her early morning show leading to him filling in as her substitute. He described the mishap as the “biggest favour” of his career since it gave him the opportunity to hold down the fort for a day.
“Because of that I then covered that breakfast show,” he gushed. “Whether it was in for you or for Sara (Cox), or then for Grimmie (Nick Grimshaw) or Chris Moyles, I did it for well over 20 years, all because you overslept.”
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