The BBC has confirmed it was aware of a police investigation into radio presenter Scott Mills in 2017, related to allegations of serious sexual offenses involving a teenage boy, according to reports from Variety and Deadline. Mills was dismissed unexpectedly earlier this month after new information emerged, prompting the broadcaster to take decisive action. The 2017 police probe has since been closed, but the BBC is conducting further inquiries to clarify the extent of its prior knowledge.
The broadcaster has acknowledged its awareness of the investigation but provided limited details on what was known internally at the time, per BBC News UK. The corporation stated that it is reviewing its handling of the case and efforts to understand the internal communications around the investigation. This review comes amid questions over transparency and whether the BBC acted appropriately based on the information available in 2017.
Scott Mills was questioned by police in 2018 on related allegations, which only came to public attention after his dismissal, reported by Variety. The revelations have intensified scrutiny of the BBC’s internal processes for dealing with such allegations. Deadline highlights that the case centers around serious sexual offenses and the timeline of how the corporation managed the situation.
Despite the scandal and Mills' removal, the BBC is moving forward with the production of a spin-off of the show ‘Race Across The World,’ titled ‘The Detour,’ for which Mills was originally announced as host, notes Deadline. The project, produced by Studio Lambert, was recently announced and is proceeding without delay or alteration in development.
Observers will be watching the BBC’s ongoing internal review, which aims to determine why the broadcaster did not act sooner or disclose its 2017 knowledge publicly. The review’s findings could impact broader organizational policies regarding safeguarding and responses to allegations against high-profile figures. Further legal or regulatory scrutiny may follow depending on the outcome.
Andre Mills
BBC
