BBC announces replacement for Scott Mills following axe from Radio 2

Olivia Gantzer
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 13:39:01 +0000

Sara Cox will replace Scott Mills as the new host of the BBC Radio 2 breakfast show, the corporation has announced.

The 51-year-old broadcaster, originally from Bolton, will begin hosting the flagship programme this summer.

Radio 2's breakfast show attracts approximately 6.5 million listeners weekly, making it the UK's most popular morning radio programme.

Ms Cox currently fronts the station's teatime slot, a position she has held since 2019.

Gary Davies has been filling in on the breakfast show since Mr Mills' departure in late March.

The BBC stated it would reveal Ms Cox's teatime replacement at a later date.

Mr Mills had only taken over the breakfast slot from Zoe Ball in January 2025.

Ms Cox brings extensive experience to the role, having previously hosted BBC Radio 1's breakfast show in the early 2000s, where she achieved record-breaking audience figures at one point.

Her career at Radio 2 spans roughly 15 years, during which she has presented various programmes including Sounds of the 80s and the weekday late-night show before moving to the teatime slot.

She has frequently stepped in as cover presenter for the breakfast show, deputising during Chris Evans's tenure and again from 2025.

Beyond radio, Ms Cox has built a substantial television portfolio, presenting programmes such as The Great Pottery Throw Down and literary series Between The Covers for the BBC, as well as her own ITV chat show in 2019.

Ms Cox expressed her delight at securing the prestigious role, stating: "There are not enough adjectives to really sum up how I'm feeling about being trusted with such an iconic show but let's start with ecstatic, honoured and incredibly chuffed."

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She described the appointment as fulfilling a long-held ambition, adding: "It's been a dream to host the Breakfast Show since I joined Radio 2 and it feels like a bit of a full circle for me."

The presenter paid tribute to her current audience, saying: "I've had the most glorious seven years of my career on Teatime so thank you to my brilliant Teatime listeners who hopefully will join me at Breakfast for excellent music and all my usual nonsense plus some superstar guests."

Radio 2 chief Helen Thomas welcomed the appointment, describing Cox as someone who "thoroughly deserves this gig" and praising her "trademark warmth and humour".

Cox's appointment follows the dismissal of Mills on March 27 after the BBC received new information relating to a historic police investigation.

The 53-year-old had been investigated between 2016 and 2019 over allegations of a sexual offence involving a boy under 16, with the alleged incidents occurring between 1997 and 2000.

The Crown Prosecution Service determined there was insufficient evidence to bring charges, and the investigation was closed.

Mr Mills was questioned under caution in July 2018 and stated he fully cooperated with police.

The BBC confirmed it had known about the investigation since 2017 but said current management only recently learned the person involved was under 16.

Mr Mills acknowledged his dismissal but declined to comment further on the substance of the allegations, noting they dated back nearly 30 years.