Sara Cox confirmed as Scott Mills’ replacement on BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show as glum looking DJ steps out after his ‘ecstatic’ friend broke the news

Sara Cox has been announced as the new presenter of BBC Radio 2’s weekday Breakfast Show, replacing Scott Mills.

Mills, 53, was sacked from the BBC last month after allegations emerged that he had committed “serious sexual offences” against a child under 16.

The axed star was spotted walking her dog with husband Sam Vaughn, 37, near their home in Hertfordshire.

Mills and Cox have been friends and colleagues at the BBC for three decades, since taking up positions at Radio 1 a year apart in the late nineties. Cox was a guest at Mills’ wedding to Vaughn in Barcelona in 2024.

Cox, 51, who currently hosts the station’s Tea Time show weekdays from 4pm to 7pm, will launch her first show this summer.

He said in a statement: ‘There aren’t enough adjectives to truly sum up how I feel about being trusted with such an iconic show, but let’s start with enthusiasm, honour, and incredible joy.’

A grumpy Scott was spotted out and about with husband Sam Vaughan when the news broke

‘Hosting the Breakfast Show has been a dream since I joined Radio 2 and it feels a bit like full circle for me.’

‘I’ve spent the greatest seven years of my career on Tea Time, so thank you to my wonderful Tea Time listeners who hope they’ll join me for breakfast for great music and all my usual shenanigans and some superstar guests.

‘Honestly, I can’t wait to wake the nation up with the biggest, funniest breakfast show ever.’

Addressing rumors that Greg James had been cast in the role, he said: ‘Apparently you told Greg James I was doing his job? ‘He’ll be gutted.’

Head of Radio 2, Helen Thomas, said: ‘I am delighted that Sara Cox will be the new presenter of the prestigious Radio 2 Breakfast Show.

‘Sara is much-loved by her millions of listeners on Teatime and as she regularly features in the slot, I know she will have a great rapport with the Breakfast audience and will galvanize the nation every morning with her trademark warmth and humour.

‘He won the nation’s hearts last November by raising a staggering £11.5 million for Children in Need in the Great Northern Marathon Challenge and he totally deserves the job. ‘I can’t wait to hear his first show.’

The replacement host for Sara’s weekday 16:00-19:00 program will be announced in due course.

The announcement was met with congratulations from Cox’s friends on social media. Denise Van Outen commented: ‘Amazing! Congratulations.” Lauren Laverne said: ‘YES IT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED!!!! Congratulations.’

Dan Walker wrote ‘good job Sara’ and Angela Scanlon said: ‘GET THE GIRL’.

Mills was fired by the BBC over a historical allegation of serious sexual offences.

Police said the allegations he faced occurred between 1997 and 2000, when Mills was in his mid-20s.

Mills was questioned under caution by police in 2018 but the case was dismissed. Crown Prosecutor’s Office in 2019 due to lack of evidence. The BBC admitted it knew about the allegations as far back as 2017.

Mills was sacked from the BBC last month after it was revealed he had been the subject of allegations of “serious sexual offences” against a young boy under 16.

Sources close to the star branded him ‘the nicest man in showbiz’ in the Daily Mail and said friends admitted they were ‘very worried about his mental health’ and ‘didn’t know how he would get through this’.

Another said her husband Sam, whom she met in 2016 and married in 2024, was a ‘huge source of support’ and ‘the only thing keeping Scott going’.

In an email to BBC staff last month announcing his sacking from the company, Music Director Lorna Clarke said: ‘I wanted to personally inform you that Scott Mills has left the Breakfast program and the BBC.

‘I know that this news will be sudden and unexpected and therefore shocking.

‘At least most of us have worked with Scott over many years on R1, 5Live, R2 and a wide range of programs on TV. I thought it was important to share this news with you at the first opportunity.

‘Of course this will also come as a shock to our viewers and loyal breakfast show listeners.’

In an extraordinary statement to the Daily Mail, Mills broke his silence, saying he ‘fully co-operated and responded’ during the police investigation. However, he did not respond to the allegations.

The full statement read: ‘The recent announcement that I am no longer contracted with the BBC has led to the publication of rumors and speculation. In response, the Metropolitan Police issued a statement which I confirm relates to me.

‘In 2016, an allegation was made against me in relation to a historic sexual offense which was the subject of a police investigation; I fully cooperated and responded to this allegation in 2018.

‘As stated by the police, a dossier of evidence was presented to the Crown Prosecution Service which determined that the evidentiary threshold for laying charges was not met.

Cox is close friends with Mills and worked with him for years at Radio 2 and Radio 1; Taken together in 2014

‘Since the investigation is about an allegation dating back nearly 30 years and the police investigation was closed 7 years ago, I hope that the public and the media will understand and respect my request not to make any further public statements on this matter.

‘I want to thank from the bottom of my heart everyone who has kindly reached out to me, my former colleagues and my beloved listeners whom I miss so much.’

In another statement, the BBC said: ‘Scott Mills had a long career at the BBC, was hugely popular, and we know this week’s news has come as a shock and surprise to many people.

“All we can confirm is that we have received new information about Scott in recent weeks and have spoken to him directly. As a result, the BBC has acted decisively in line with our culture and values ​​to terminate their contract on Friday 27 March.”

‘The BBC has made a significant commitment to improving its culture, processes and standards. Last year, following an independent culture review, we set behavioral expectations for everyone working with or for the BBC and were clear that action would be taken if these were not met.

We can also confirm that the BBC was made aware of the existence of an ongoing police investigation in 2017, which was subsequently closed in 2019 without any arrests or charges being made.

‘We are working further to understand the details of what is currently known to the BBC.’

Cox began his BBC radio career in 1999 when he joined BBC Radio 1 to present a Saturday lunchtime programme, and continued presenting the Radio 1 Breakfast Show until December 2003 the following year.

For the next 11 years, Sara hosted a variety of shows on the network, including the weekday afternoon show, weekend afternoon show, and weekday mornings.

He joined Radio 2 in 2011 and deputized for various presenters throughout the program. He launched Sounds of the 80s on the station in 2013, and in 2017 he raised £1.2 million for Comic Relief by taking part in the 24-hour non-stop 80s Dance Challenge.

In May 2018, Cox began presenting a weekday 10pm to midnight show on the station, and moved on to host the Tea Time show later that year.