Scott Mills has admitted he’s actually glad he never landed the Radio 1 Breakfast Show — despite once desperately wanting it.
Speaking to the Telegraph a year into hosting the Radio 2 Breakfast Show, Mills reflected on the career near-miss that once stung, but now feels like a blessing in disguise.
Back in 2018, Mills was beaten to the Radio 1 Breakfast gig by Greg James, a moment he admits left him “a bit gutted” at the time. But with hindsight, he’s clear it worked out for the best.
“For that reason, I’m quite glad that I never got the Radio 1 breakfast show,” he said, explaining that the scrutiny and intensity of that role would have been difficult — and may have closed the door on what came next.
“If it had happened, I don’t think Radio 2 would have happened.”
A year on from taking over Radio 2’s flagship breakfast slot from Zoe Ball, Mills says the scale of the job initially hit him hard. Despite decades at Radio 1, the move felt different.
“Radio 2 feels bigger,” he told the Telegraph. “The gravity of it landed with me.”
Listening figures dipped at first, with around 600,000 listeners drifting away after the handover, but Mills sees that as part of the bedding-in process. “Radio 2 listeners take a while to win over,” he said, adding that the figures “haven’t dropped off a cliff”.
He’s also been candid about criticism, including claims he’s too “safe”. Mills doesn’t shy away from it, acknowledging that he’s naturally introverted and doesn’t find self-promotion easy — but says the confidence has grown as the year’s gone on.
Now, he sounds settled, energised, and quietly proud of the show he’s built.
“I feel like I’m having my career peak right now,” he said.
And crucially, he believes the BBC still offers something commercial radio can’t replicate.
“This place is magic,” he said. “And I’m just a part of it.”
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