Scott Mills sacked

[Ihateboris]

Link here. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckge1yn50y8o
Very happy as I can't stand him

To be fair, I recall seemingly endless, inane chat, phone-ins, outside broadcasts etc on my local radio station in the '80s, mainly due to the 'needle time' restrictions still in force. It definitely didn't seem like music was the most important thing.

It was a criminal investigation involving two forces so the alleged victim was either under 16 or there was grooming, coercion and non-consensual activity allegations going on.

It was actually the CPS that threw it out, not the police.

I'm not saying Mills is guilty but this means the allegations were extremely serious - the BBC now needs to come clean re what they knew and what they have now found out

Im not sure grooming existed as a crime in the 90s

Where are you getting this information from?

I thought it was said he was interviewed under caution, which means he was cautioned and in those cases I think the police decide not to charge?

Local radio yes but the main radio station, Radio 1 was pretty much all music. This would have been from when Radio 1 started which I think was 1969. I remember that Tony read out a dedication sent in by one of the girls at school. We were thrilled to hear someone's name being read out and our school mentioned live on air by TB! 😆

My local radio station when that started up in 1975 was Victory, they had more chat and I think phone ins would have started soon after.

It's all over the press today:

The Metropolitan Police opened the investigation in December 2016 after a referral from another force.

Scott Mills was questioned under caution in July 2018.

Police submitted a full evidence file to the CPS.

In May 2019, the CPS determined that the evidential threshold had not been met

I wondered if they dropped the quiz because they can't trust the contestant not to mention Scott Mills' sacking.

If the CPS decided that the evidential threshold hadn’t been met, and therefore no charges were brought, who are the BBC to decide 10 years later that it’s a sackable offence?

(Unless there is more to come, which looks highly likely…)

I went to see Tony at his Sounds of the 60s show at Manchester Bridgewater Hall a couple of years ago. It was a fabulous night. I go to all sorts of gigs and Tony's was absolutely one of the best.
His Saturday morning show is great and his handover with Dermot O'Leary is funny and heartwarming. They are clearly very fond of and respect each other.
He also loves and is supremely knowledgeable about soul music, and Radio 2 are lucky to have him. Long may he last!

I remember the Radio 1 roadshows in the late 1970's/early 80's. The DJ's were definitely seen as 'personalities' then. I've got photos of Peter Powell running round on stage on a beach in a pair of budgie smugglers - i bet those roadshows attracted hoardes of groupies (i was only about 12, so not me!)

They haven’t said it’s to do with that case. Could be another allegation and they’ve decided they want distance because of what has happened with other BBC employees .

Mills was the reason I finally gave up on radio 1 in the early 2000s. He seemed to actively cultivate the persona of a snotty 12 year old and developed a habit of calling any women who weren't supermodels and over 23 mingers.

It could have been the general climate ( this was before Christmas Moyles took over iirc but after Zoe Ball and Kevin greening on the breakfast show?). I never really took to radio 2 except Paul O'Grady and Brian Matthew for sheer novelty value of hearing records from the deep 60s

Thank fuck for that!

Well Im not sure the descriptor of 'a full investigation involving two forces' sort of seems to say what that means

Quite often one force may open something and refer to another because they quibble about who should hold it because of technicalities about where the incident or crime was committed. If an area force can avoid picking something up it will!!

What was the actual offence do we know?

Grooming and cooercion I dont think were crimes at the time but cant remember

My face was like this 😬through the whole news segment. So bloody awkward for all his colleagues but can't say I feel too sorry for him. Not a nice (or genuine) man by all accounts.

That was my era! Try Trevor Nelson on R2 he is a proper DJ and knows his stuff. At the risk of de railing I never forgave Mary Whitehouse for getting Stuart Henry the sack from R1

Yes I have to say I cant stand him but Im not sure this sits right with the way it seems to be playing out, in terms of fairness and whats just etc

I wondered that, but in light of the Huw Edward’s situation, I think they jumped before they were pushed.

I do listen to Trevor Nelson, along with Tony he's one of my favourites.

Likely more to come. But either way, he's a BBC figure head, you don't have to have a criminal record to have a questionable character that doesn't fit the ethos of the company you work for. He's being paid HUGE money to represent the BBC.

I would have thought there are loads of people working on telly and in radio that have some degree of criminal record?

Cant think of any, but surely there would be, like any organisation

Someone referred above to a DBS check! Do radio presenters have a DBS check? Its for particular roles if you need an enhanced one

Historic serious sexual offence allegations - well, who'd have thunked it.

Its so hard to have an opinion when we dont have the facts. Clubs in the 90s were a mess. Everyone in there off their heads and underage. Gay clubs were more hypersexual. Is it this??? Is it something darker?? Im not making excuses, I just really need to know now!! Ive met Scott and he seemed lovely. His whole life was radio and it does make me worry about him, but if he was a wrong un then I won't worry!!

Why are we having this stupid discussion about Miriam as a radio breakfast host?

They should do a DBS check on new presenters!

I’m not sorry to see SM go: I was annoyed he took over from Steve Wright, but then totally perplexed when he was given the biggest show in British radio. He is a total charisma vacuum, and has utterly shit taste in music, if you can call his manufactured bubblegum pop that.

A PP said that they should do away with presenters and just play music as that’s what everyone wants, but I disagree: people also like a bit of company and gentle entertainment sometimes.

MM a safe pair of hands?! She'd drop the C bomb during school run time 😂