Radio 1 exit left Scott Mills 'sad and exhausted' after 24 years at the station

14 October 2023 , 08:00

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Radio 1 exit left Scott Mills 'sad and exhausted' after 24 years at the station

Scott Mills left the entertainment industry in shock when he announced he would be leaving Radio 1 after 24 years.

Having started in October 1998 to present the early breakfast show between 4am and 7am. Over the course of his time at the station, he went on to work the afternoon slot and eventually became the early evening host. But in July 2022, Scott made the announcement that he would be leaving Broadcasting House and moving over to BBC Radio 2 to replace the Steve Wright Show.

Now, almost a year on from his exit, Scott, 50, has opened up to the Mirror about his exit which saw him cry live on air during his last show with former co-presenter, Chris Stark. He said: "Weird, I remember the last show, there was such a build-up and there's lots of surprises that they don't tell you about. Had a little cry at the end of the show which I've never done before, it's never happened, not that there's anything wrong with it.

Scott Mills joined BBC Radio 1 in 1998 and stayed on the network for 24 years (Mirrorpix)

"It really got me at the end, we had a big party and I woke up the next day and I was like 'That's it', when you're in the final throws of it, it doesn't feel like it's ending and then it just stops."

Eastleigh-born Scott went on to liken his departure to his time on Strictly Come Dancing in 2014. He said: "It's the same, we're all this big happy family, then you get knocked out and it's like 'Right, where are we training on Monday morning?' It takes a while to get your head around."

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He continued: "I remember feeling sad and also feeling exhausted by the whole thing. Me and Chris had been together for over ten years I'd been there for 24, so it's a lot to take in." But while Scott previously waved goodbye to his former studio – he's set to return to it.

Following his departure, the broadcaster admits that he was 'sad' his time had come to an end on the station (PA)

He went on to join BBC Radio 2 in 2022 (Dave Hogan/Hogan Media/REX/Shutterstock)

"I'm moving back into the old studio that I was in when I left!" he exclaimed before adding: "But... On Radio 2, and they're like 'Aren't you worried you're going to say Radio 1?' Probably not!" Scott and his partner Sam Vaughn, whom he became engaged to in 2021 recently returned from a trip to Los Angeles and a stay at the swanky SLS Hotel Beverly Hills, he joked that the couple didn't find any wedding inspiration in Tinsel Town.

Discussing his trip to LA with the LA Tourism Board, Scott said: "I've been there a lot over the years, I used to think that in my 20s, I could live there. If you work in the entertainment industry, it feels exciting because it feels like that's where all the decisions are made.

"Even when I went this time, it was when they just called off the writers' strike. So I was driving past Netflix and there was like, loads of people cheering like with placards going yeah, it's over and I'm like, 'This is wild.'" But now in his fifth decade, Scott explained he doesn't believe he could live in Los Angeles nowadays but does enjoy "dipping in for a week".

Scott and his partner Sam have recently returned from a trip to Los Angeles (Instagram)

He said: "I also like about it, it's huge, we got an Uber and the guy was giving us 'the real LA', I think there's 88 cities in one city, when you're high up on a hike it makes London look minuscule." However, the couple were left amused when a hotel they stayed in charged them an 'amusement tax'. Due to the hotels' amenities being 24 hours, upon check out, guests pay for their room, LA taxes and then an amusement tax.

"In my partner's mind, he was like 'This is insane', and I'm like 'Yes it is', that was an experience going Le Petit Ermitage Hotel, it was an experience going there for the day." Scott added that he'd had a "busy summer" and wanted a "chilled" time to unwind and experience several cultures all under one roof. He explained his love for LA saying: "It's just the diversity, one minute you can turn a corner and you're in Thai Town, or you go somewhere else and there's Korea Town and you can have the best Korean barbeque, I've never been to Korea but I felt like I was in career."

While Scott had hoped to live in LA when he was in his twenties, he recalled: "I know a British guy, there's a lot of British people that work in television and they all stick together, it's like a little expat community, this guy used to work on the James Corden show and he was saying that because no-one can really afford to live in West Hollywood or Beverly Hills, so your commute can be an hour and a half there and an hour and a half back. That's part of the reason why I don't think I could live there, but I love it. and I do all the cliche things."

Daniel Bird