BBC apologized for not pursuing allegations raised against radio presenter Scott Mills last year.
In May 2025, freelance journalist Anna Brees contacted BBC with information about alleged “inappropriate communications” involving Mills.
According to The Daily Telegraph, she asked whether there had been any formal or informal complaints about the presenter, specifically relating to safeguarding, inappropriate conduct, or harassment.
BBC never replied.
Now, the broadcaster concedes it should have acted.
“We received a press query in 2025 which included limited information. This should have been followed up, and we should have asked further questions. We apologise for this and will look into why this did not happen,” BBC said in a statement.
The apology came against the backdrop of Mills’ abrupt dismissal, which has already stirred speculation.
BBC has not explained the precise reasons for his firing, but reports have resurfaced of a 2018 police interview in which Mills was questioned under caution over allegations of serious sexual offences against a teenage boy.
The alleged incidents were said to have taken place between 1997 and 2000.
The Crown Prosecution Service ultimately decided the evidential threshold had not been met, and the case was closed in 2019.
The broadcaster’s silence has only fueled intrigue.
Former BBC presenter Richard Bacon voiced unease about the decision, calling it “a giant public humiliation” and warning that such a move should only be made if there is “a really really really clear reason.”
Adding to the drama, Brees herself has been criticized for her support of Alex Belfield, the former radio host convicted of stalking TV presenters including Jeremy Vine.
Her involvement in raising concerns about Mills has therefore drawn scrutiny, further complicating the narrative.
For now, BBC’s apology leaves more questions than answers.
