Scott Mills

Radio

Early radio career

Mills began his career at the age of 16 as a DJ on his local Hampshire commercial radio station, Power FM, after barraging the station with demo tapes. Mills was given an opportunity to present a week's worth of shows, and based on the success of this, he was immediately offered the 'graveyard slot' of 1:00 am6:00 am (six nights a week), making him the youngest permanent presenter on mainstream commercial radio.

Mills moved from Power FM to GWR FM Bristol, staying with the station for two years,

Mills has provided various voice-overs, including the voice of the specialist of the in-store radio station Homebase FM, the voice-over for Blockbuster Inc.'s in-store infomercial channel Blockbuster TV, and the voice-over for The VH1 Album Chart on the UK television channel VH1.

BBC Radio 1

Mills joined BBC Radio 1 in October 1998 to present the early breakfast show which was broadcast between 4am and 7am. In January 2004 Mills moved to a weekend afternoon slot, which was followed by a further move later that year to the weekday early-evening slot which was vacant due to Sara Cox's maternity leave. Cox did not return and Mills became a permanent presenter of the early evening programme which was renamed The Scott Mills Show.

Whilst at Radio 1, Mills also provided holiday cover for other presenters as well as hosting The Official Chart between June 2018 and August 2022.

On 1 July 2022 it was announced that Mills would be leaving Radio 1 after 24 years to replace Steve Wright in Steve Wright in the Afternoon on BBC Radio 2. Scott Mills replaced Wright in the weekday afternoon slot on 31 October 2022.

From 2011 to 2022 a long running segment on the program was Innuendo Bingo, where guests would listen to clips of people unintentionally saying things that had innuendo whilst at the same time holding water in their mouths, with the object of the game being to stop themselves from spitting the water out of their mouth as they are laughing. The guests would be sat opposite Chris Stark who would also have water in his mouth and the game would often result in both the guest and Chris ending up completely soaked.

BBC Radio 2

While being a regular daytime show host on BBC Radio 1, Mills hosted shows on Radio 2 as a cover presenter.

On 20 March 2017, he hosted a late-night show from 10 pm to 2 am for Sara Cox' Dance-A-Thon.

On 28 May 2018, he presented a Bank Holiday Monday show, Radio 2 Remix, from 4 pm until 7 pm. Immediately preceding the Radio 2 show, Mills presented from 1 pm on Radio 1, being one of the first people ending a show on Radio 1 and starting one on Radio 2 at the same day.

In April 2019, Mills was a stand in for Rylan Clark on Radio 2's Saturday afternoon show from 3 pm to 6 pm.

From 2021–2022, Mills was the regular stand-in for Ken Bruce.

On 1 July 2022, it was announced that Mills was to join Radio 2 permanently to replace Steve Wright in the Afternoon at the end of September 2022. Mills' new show, running from 2-4 pm, debuted on 31 October.

On 19 November 2024, it was announced that Mills would replace Zoe Ball as the presenter of Radio 2's breakfast show. He presents that show as of 27 January 2025.

BBC Radio 5 Live

On 17 October 2019, it was announced that Mills and his Radio 1 co-presenter Chris Stark would start hosting a show on BBC Radio 5 Live. The show was part of the station's new weekend line up starting on 9 November 2019. The show was broadcast between 9am and 11am. The final show was on 20 August 2022.

''Scott Mills: The Musical''

On 14 May 2009, a musical based on Mills' life was announced, to be performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2009. The musical ran for three nights between 11 and 13 August at the Pleasance One Theatre. The musical was born from an internet rumour that Mills would perform in Rick Rolling The Musical as Rick Astley and other 1980s musicians. He denied this rumour on his radio show, and listeners' suggestions to create a musical based on his life became a reality. Some songs for the musical were composed and sent in by listeners to his radio show. The musical is available for viewing on the BBC Radio 1 website.

Mills was challenged to do a one-man show at Edinburgh Fringe in 2010 by his co-hosts and production team. The Bjorn Identity was a parody of The Bourne Identity, telling the story of Jason Bjorn with the music of ABBA.

Television work

In addition to his radio work, he has also appeared on various television shows, playing both as a character and as himself. His main acting role was as reporter Paul Lang in the BBC medical drama Casualty, appearing in episodes in both 2006 and 2007. He also had a cameo in the BBC Scotland soap opera River City after praising the show highly on his radio show. He also appeared as a police officer in the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks in 2008.

Mills has appeared as a contestant or guest on programmes including Mastermind, Supermarket Sweep, Children in Need, Most Haunted and Never Mind the Buzzcocks,

He narrated the music TV show The Pop Years which, coincidentally, was also narrated by fellow BBC Radio 1 DJ Edith Bowman. He has presented high-profile programmes including the Wednesday night National Lottery draw on BBC One and his own pilot (featured on the radio show) of Reverse-a-Word. He has narrated Dating in the Dark on Living. In February 2008, he presented Upstaged on the newly re-launched BBC Three. He also hosted a BBC Three television show called Radio 1 on Three, inspired by his radio show.

In February 2011, Mills presented a BBC Three documentary about Uganda called The World's Worst Place to Be Gay?.

Mills appeared on series 12 of Strictly Come Dancing and his dance partner was Joanne Clifton, sister of Kevin, who also dances on the show. They came 11th in the competition after being eliminated in week 6.

Mills won, alongside Stark, the first episode of the two-episode Robot Wars: Battle of the Stars (2016) with their robot Arena Cleaner, which was a collaboration with Dave Moulds, who drove Carbide, second place in the preceding series. This was broadcast over the Christmas and New Year period 2016.

Mills and his husband Sam competed in, and won the second series of Celebrity Race Across the World travelling across South America.

Other work

In February 2011, it was announced that Mills would take part in the BT Charity Trek along with other celebrities as part of the 2011 Comic Relief Red Nose Day campaign. The celebrities spent five days in the Kaisut desert in north Kenya, covering 100 km in temperatures up to 40 °C.

On 16 and 17 November 2022, Mills raised over £1 million for Children in Need after riding on a treadmill for twenty four-hours.

Personal life

Mills grew up in and around Southampton, attending Shakespeare Infant School and Crestwood College Secondary School in Eastleigh. He currently lives in London.

Mills' parents are separated,

Mills came out as gay to the press in 2001 to avoid tabloid-style speculation. In his Guardian interview he explained, "I'd just like to be accepted as a normal bloke who is gay and is on the radio and the television." Mills appeared at number 12 on the Independent on Sunday's Pink List for 2010. Mills was the 50th most influential gay person in Britain the previous year.

He was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Arts from Southampton Solent University on 2 November 2009. The bridge that crosses the M3 at Fleet services was officially named The Scott Mills Bridge and a plaque unveiled, on 16 March 2016.

Mills supported the former climate change prevention organisation Global Cool.

In October 2021, Mills announced he had got engaged to Sam Vaughan, his boyfriend of four years. They married in Vilanova i la Geltrú, Spain in June 2024.

In November 2022, Mills' 24-hour Treadmill walking marathon with Radio 2 raised over £1.2M for Children in Need.

Awards

References

References

1. "BBC - Radio 1 - Scott Mills - Biography". BBC.
2. "Scott Robert MILLS personal appointments - Find and update company information - GOV.UK".
3. "Scott Mills Discovers Astrology with Russell Grant". StarChannel.TV.
4. (19 November 2024). "Zoe Ball to leave Radio 2 Breakfast Show, with Scott Mills taking over".
5. (August 2004). "Scott Mills Official BBC Biography". BBC Press Office.
6. (10 August 2007). "Alright Treac - Scott's in Town". [[BBC Cornwall]].
7. (10 August 2007). "Alright Treac - Scott's in Town". [[BBC Cornwall]].
8. "My name is Scott part two". BBC Radio 1.
9. "The VH1 Album Chart".
10. "Unofficial biography of Scott Mills". Unofficial Mills.
11. (28 February 2012). "Radio 1 schedule: Scott Mills and Greg James to swap". [[BBC Radio 1]].
12. (2022-07-01). "Scott Mills leaving Radio 1 to replace Steve Wright on Radio 2".
13. (2022-07-02). "Scott Mills to replace Steve Wright on BBC Radio 2 afternoon show". [[BBC News]].
14. "Innuendo Bingo". BBC.
15. (25 August 2022). "The FINAL Innuendo Bingo with Scott & Chris". BBC Radio One.
16. "BBC Radio 2 - Sounds Of The 80s with Gary Davies, With Scott Mills". BBC.
17. "BBC Radio 2 - The Radio 2 Remix". BBC.
18. (23 May 2018). "Scott Mills does the double on Radio 1 and Radio 2".
19. "BBC Radio 2 - Rylan On Saturday, Scott Mills sits in". BBC.
20. "BBC Radio 2 - Ken Bruce, Scott Mills sits in with Griff choosing Tracks of My Years".
21. "BBC Radio 2 Autumn Schedule Changes". BBC.
22. "BBC - Scott Mills to present Saturday morning show on BBC Radio 5 live - Media Centre". BBC.
23. "Scott Mills The Musical - Radio 1 Pages". BBC.
24. (24 February 2007). "Radio 1 - Scott Mills The Musical - Home". BBC.
25. (8 July 2010). "Scott Mills returns to the Fringe".
26. "Scott Mills appearances". Holby.tv Fansite.
27. Innes, John. (22 September 2004). "Radio One DJ bids to give River City a wider show". The Scotsman.
28. (26 June 2008). "Scott visits Hollyoaks".
29. "Scott Mills Filmography". IMDb.
30. "Upstaged". BBC.
31. "The World's Worst Place to Be Gay?". BBC.
32. (26 August 2014). "Strictly Come Dancing 2014 line-up: Scott Mills confirmed to hit the dancefloor". The Independent.
33. (2 December 2016). "Celebs commence battle in BBC Two's Robot Wars: Battle of the Stars". BBC.
34. Fullerton, Huw. (25 November 2016). "The Robot Wars Christmas special has unveiled its first celebrity guests". Radio Times.
35. Perrin, Lucy. (2024-09-27). "Race Across the World winners: 'We thought Scott had dengue fever in Brazil'".
36. [http://www.rednoseday.com/whats-on/the-bt-red-nose-desert-trek/sponsor-the-trekkers/scott-mills/radio1 Donate - Scott Mills. Red Nose Day 2011] {{webarchive. link. (24 February 2011 , BBC)
37. (16 November 2022). "Scott Mills raises £1m in Children In Need treadmill challenge".
38. "My hometown in ten questions". BBC Radio 1.
39. (20 December 2013). "Miss Talbot by Scott Mills". Times Educational Supplement.
40. "Scott Mills Features". Unofficial Mills.
41. Wells, Matt. (7 August 2001). "Coming out nerves for Radio 1's early bird". The Guardian.
42. (1 August 2010). "The ''IoS'' Pink List 2010". The Independent.
43. (28 June 2009). "Pink List 2009". The Independent on Sunday.
44. [http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/leisure/news/4704466.Honorary_degree_for_Radio_1_DJ/ Scott Mills gets degree from Southampton Solent University], DailyEcho.co.uk.
45. BBC Radio 1 Scott Mills Show 15 March 2016
46. (5 April 2010). "Scott Mills' Amsterdam diary". [[Global Cool Foundation]].
47. "Instagram".
48. (3 June 2024). "Scott Mills marries partner Sam Vaughan in Spanish ceremony". Evening Standard.
49. (May 2018). "ARIAS 2017".
50. "Broadcast of the Year Award".
51. "Music Radio Personality of the Year Award".
52. "Music Radio Personality of the Year Award".
53. "2007 The Interactive Programme Award".
54. "Scott Mills Career". Unofficial Mills.