The slow and steady rise of Scott Mills

Mills said he is delighted to follow in the footsteps of Breakfast Show giants Sir Terry Wogan, Chris Evans and Zoe Ball

Scott Mills has been announced as Zoe Ball’s replacement on the coveted Radio 2 Breakfast Show slot.

The 51-year-old, who began his radio career aged 16, has admitted the new role is a dream come true, remarking that he was pleased to be following in the footsteps of former Breakfast Show iconsSir Terry Wogan, Chris Evans and Ball.

As a teenager, Mills bagged his first role in radio at Power FM – his local station in Fareham, Hampshire.

He instantly impressed the producers at the station and was given the “graveyard slot”, which aired between 1am and 6am; six nights a week. He later graduated into the afternoon “drive time” slot, which typically airs from 5pm.

His role at Power FM made him the youngest radio presenter in the UK.

Mills made the move from Power FM to GWR FM Bristol, where he stayed for two years, before moving to Picadilly Key 103 in Manchester, starting with a late-night slot and moving into presenting the station’s mid-morning programme.

While at the Manchester station, Mills secured exclusive interviews with popstars including Robbie Williams and discussed his departure from Take That.

Sara Cox and Scott Mills meeting Prince William in 2013 (Getty Images)

The presenter made his move to London in 1995 and began presenting for Heart Radio, which had just been launch at the time. At Heart, Mills began making enough noise to get attention from the BBC.

His hard work paid off when he was approached by BBC Radio 1 and joined in October 1998 to present the early breakfast show between 4am and 7am. By 2004, he was moved into a weekend afternoon slot.

Also in 2004, Mills covered Sara Cox’s maternity leave, and when Cox decided not to return, he became the permanent presenter of the early evening programme, which was renamed The Scott Mills Show. Cox returned to the station in 2005 but Mills remained in his slot.

Mills DJing at Radio 1’s Big Weekend in 2019 (PA)

That show moved to an earlier afternoon slot in April 2012 when Mills started sharing presenting duties with Greg James.

Though Mills had made regular appearances on BBC Radio 2 as a cover presenter, he had never formally moved across. It was announced in 2022 that he was leaving Radio 1 after 24 years to replace Steve Wright in the Afternoon on Radio 2, which airs between 2 and 4pm. Mills will remain in that slot until he replaces Ball in December, and Trevor Nelson will take the reins from Mills on the afternoon show.

Scott Mills pictured in 2006 (PA)

Mills got a proper taste of the Radio 2 Breakfast Show when Ball took an extended leave of absence from her Breakfast Show between April and September 2024, and he took over presenting duties with Gaby Roslin.

Earlier this year, Mills won the Gold award for Best Music Entertainment Show for his afternoon programme on Radio 2 at the Audio & Radio Industry Awards, which is radio’s most prestigious awards ceremony.

Speaking about his move to the Breakfast slot, Mills said in a statement: “Zoe and I have been such good friends now for over 25 years and have spent much of that time as part of the same radio family here at Radio 2 and also on Radio 1.”

“She’s done an incredible job on this show over the past six years, and I am beyond excited to be handed the baton.”

“It feels ever since recording my first shows as a kid for an audience of one, my mum, all roads since have led to this amazing opportunity.”