Scott Mills Exit: BBC Investigates Sexual Offense Allegations

0:00It's March 31st. This is Music News today, driven by AI following the sound in real time. BBC DJ Scott Mills got the boot this week after reports surfaced about a police probe in the serious sexual offenses against the teenage boy. The allegations date back to between 1997 and 2000. No charges were filed back then due to lack of evidence. The Metropolitan Police kicked off the investigation in December 2016 after a tip from another force. They questioned a man in his 40s under caution in July 2018, sent the full files to prosecutors, but the case closed in May 20, 19, when the evidential bar wasn't met. Folks at the BBC were stunned by the sudden exit. Music director Lorna Clark told staff it was a shock, and Jeremy Vine said on air he was taken aback with no extra details. Mills had a long run there, starting on Radio 1 in 1998, hosting the official chart from 2018 to 2022 then, moving to Radio 2 afternoons in 2022, and the breakfast show this January.

1:03Now the BBC admits they got a press tip about separate claims almost a year ago, but dropped the ball by not digging deeper. In their statement, they apologized and said they'll review why it got overlooked, urging anyone with info to come forward. This shakes up Radio 2's lineup just as Mills was settling into that prime slot, leaving fans and colleagues piecing together what comes next.