Scott Mills Faces Potential Loss of Honorary Doctorate
Scott Mills, a well-known DJ and presenter, could be facing a significant professional setback as he may lose his Honorary Doctorate of Arts from Southampton Solent University. This potential loss comes after the 53-year-old was recently dismissed from the BBC following his final Radio 2 breakfast show.
The Daily Mirror reported that the decision to terminate Mills’ contract might be linked to a 2016 police investigation into ‘serious sexual offences’ against a teenage boy between 1997 and 2000. However, the case was dropped around seven years ago due to insufficient evidence. Now, it has emerged that the academic institution’s Honorary Doctorate Scrutiny Panel is set to meet to determine whether the prestigious title should be revoked.
A source told the Mirror: “The committee will meet later this month. It will be recommended that the honorary doctorate is rescinded.” The BBC has reached out to Mills’ representatives for further comment.
At the time of receiving the honor, Mills expressed his excitement, stating, “It felt amazing after not really doing any education before.” He added, “I came out of school and just learned from the people I worked with and thankfully the people I worked with were good and took the time to teach me, but without that, if I was working at a worse radio station I don’t think I would be doing this now.”
Following his dismissal, all of Mills’ shows on iPlayer have been removed, along with a plaque at Fleet services on the M3. Additionally, he has been replaced on the spin-off show of Race Across The World by TV presenter and DJ Tyler West, 30.
Previously, it was announced that Mills and series four’s Alfie Watts would co-host a podcast titled Race Across the World: The Detour. Mills and his now-husband Sam won the second celebrity series of Race Across The World in 2024.
Mills, who earned between £355,000 and £359,999 annually from the BBC, took over the Radio 2 breakfast show from Zoe Ball in 2025. A senior broadcaster at the BBC expressed “total shock” at the corporation after Mills’ sacking.
Lorna Clarke, Director of Music, shared the news with BBC staff in an email: “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. Not least as so many of us have worked with Scott over a great many years, across a broad range of our programmes on R1, 5Live, R2 and TV. I felt it was important to share this news with you at the earliest opportunity. Of course, it will also come as a shock to our audience and loyal breakfast show listeners too. I will update everyone with more information on plans for the show when I’m able to. While I appreciate many of you will have questions, I hope you can understand that I am not going to be saying anything.”
In other developments, the replacement for Scott Mills at Eurovision 2026 has been revealed. The BBC has removed him from TV and radio gigs following allegations of ‘serious sexual offences’ against a teenage boy. The presenter will no longer appear at the Eurovision Song Contest, and instead, fellow BBC Radio 2 presenter Sara Cox will take over the role, according to The Sun.
The BBC confirmed that all future work planned with the presenter, including coverage of the contest in May, has been canceled. Mills has served as a commentator during Eurovision’s semi-finals since 2011, often joined by Rylan Clark on the shows, as well as providing live commentary of the final on BBC Radio 2.
However, it has been revealed that Sara, 51, will now take on the role, having previously commented on the semi-finals alongside former show commentator Rylan.
