Jeremy Vine takes thinly-veiled swipe at BBC over 'unfair' Scott Mills axe in heated on-air debate: 'No crime!'

"It was 17 minutes to 12," Mr Vine recounted on his Channel 5 programme yesterday.

"I thought initially that must be some sort of AI page or something which was spoofing, but it was the BBC website."

Speaking on Tuesday, he went on: "Scott Mills' sacking has left a lot of people very confused. It came as a complete shock to those of us who work at the station."

He added: "What do you make of it? I'd love to know?"

The broadcaster described the situation as "a very painful episode for anyone who knows him," noting that Mr Mills remained "a very popular guy in the building."

The dismissal of Mr Mills was announced by the BBC on Monday as a result of the DJ's personal conduct. The Mirror reported that his axe was linked to a police inquiry launched in December 2016 after a referral from another force.

Officers investigated allegations of serious sexual offences committed against a boy under 16 between 1997 and 2000.

Mr Mills, now 53, was questioned under caution during the investigation.

However, after a full evidence file was submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service, prosecutors determined the evidential threshold for charges had not been met.

The case was subsequently closed in May 2019.

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson confirmed these details, stating the matter was discontinued owing to insufficient evidence.

During his programme, Mr Vine insisted: "The whole point is there wasn't a crime, and that's where this gets difficult, the Met have been over it, and there is no crime. We are dealing with something we are calling misbehavior."

The BBC has declined to elaborate on its reasoning, saying only: "While we do not comment on matters relating to individuals, we can confirm Scott Mills is no longer contracted to work with the BBC."

Mr Vine also questioned whether the corporation's handling of the situation had been influenced by criticism over its response to Huw Edwards, who previously received a suspended sentence after admitting to making indecent images of children.

"There is a thought here that what the BBC has done has sacked Huw Edwards, they wish they got in earlier with Huw and they decided to treat Scott how they wish they'd treated Huw. Which would be a bit unfair, would it not?" he said.

The presenter further highlighted what he saw as an inconsistency in the BBC's approach to mental health considerations.

He said: "We were told Huw Edwards couldn't be sacked because he was in a fragile mental state. Everything I have read about Scott's history today goes back to his own anxiety and depression and everything else, but there doesn't seem to be the same break cut for him."

Fellow Radio 2 presenter Dermot O'Leary, who has been with the station since 2004, similarly spoke of the impact on colleagues.

He said on ITV's This Morning: "As part of the Radio 2 family, and it is a family, everyone gets together, it's a lovely place to work, it's very collegiate. This came as a complete shock to everybody; it came from nowhere."

Meanwhile, Steve Chalke, a friend who has appeared on Mr Mills' programme, described "a sense of grief, loss and shock" among those close to the presenter.

"My thoughts, my heart, my pain, is for him and also of any victim of any crime and their family of everybody involved in this," he said.

"But we must be concerned for the mental health of any victim, for Scott, for his family, for his partner Sam. This is a tragic occurrence."

GB News has reached out to Mr Mills and the BBC for comment.