Former BBC Radio 2 legend Scott Mills has been spotted walking his dog with his husband after it emerged that pal Sara Cox is reportedly lined up to take over his show
15:54, 16 Apr 2026Updated 16:20, 16 Apr 2026
Scott Mills pictured after ‘heir’ to Radio 2 show announced by insiders
Scott Mills has been snapped out and about with his partner, not long after it was reported that a former colleague is set to take over his Radio 2 show.
The 53-year-old was sacked by the BBC earlier this year, shortly before it emerged the Metropolitan Police had launched an investigation into him in 2016 over allegations of serious sexual offences involving a teenage boy under 16 between 1997 and 2000.
The BBC terminated his contract after learning the full extent of a police investigation into him, including the fact that the accuser was an underage child. The sacked Radio 2 star was interviewed by police in 2018 under caution after being accused of serious sexual offences against a boy under the age of 16. A full file was sent to the CPS who said there was not enough evidence to charge the presenter.
Scott was seen out and about with Sam(Image: n.c)
It’s understood that Mills and his husband, Sam Vaughan, have been away since the Mirror broke the news that he’d been sacked, but this week the pair appeared to return home. The pair broke cover for the first time on Wednesday to walk their dog near their house, and now, following the news of Cox becoming the new ‘heir’ to the show, the couple have been snapped out again.
Mills looked downcast as he wore large shades that covered his eyes. He wore a thin puffer jacked and an entirely black ensemble for the walk with his pet cavapoo, Teddy.
Since being sacked, several big names have been floating around as potential replacements for Mills’ show, with the likes of Vernon Kay and Sara Cox leading the way as frontrunners.
The former radio presenter has kept a low profile in recent weeks(Image: n.c)
Scott was seen walking his dog(Image: n.c)
The Sun reported on Wednesday that Cox had all but secured the job and was set to be offered a contract any day. A source told the paper: “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.”
The presenter was taken off air(Image: n.c)
The Sun also commented that overnight presenter OJ Borg is another frontrunner. A source told the publication that the BBC bosses are “most likely to pick a wildcard” and want to pick someone well liked at BBC who is “not the biggest name”.
They added: “OJ is someone who has proven he can do the job. He ticks all the right boxes and could be the perfect fit – even though he’s not one of the top stars vying for the job.”
Following his firing, Mills issued a statement via lawyers thanking his well-wishers. He said: “I wish to thank from the bottom of my heart all those who have reached out to me with kindness, my former colleagues, and my beloved listeners, who I greatly miss.”
On the police probe, he said: “The recent announcement that I am no longer contracted to the BBC has led to the publication of rumour and speculation. In response to this the Metropolitan Police has made a statement, which I confirm relates to me.
“An allegation was made against me in 2016 of a historic sexual offence, which was the subject of a police investigation in which I fully co-operated and responded to in 2018.” He added: “Since the investigation related to an allegation that dates back nearly 30 years and the police investigation was closed seven years ago, I hope that the public and the media will understand and respect my wish not to make any further public comment on this matter.”
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