A new Race Across the World spin-off has been left in jeopardy just days ahead of its 2026 launch after Scott Mills’ sacking.
The former Radio 2 DJ was abruptly fired from the BBC on Monday after a complaint about a police investigation into ‘serious sexual offences against a boy under 16’.
The 53-year-old presenter was one of the highest-paid at the corporation, with a salary of £315,000 to £319,999 in 2025 after replacing Zoe Ball on the Radio 2 Breakfast Show.
Now, however, as the sixth series of Race Across the World is set to get underway on Thursday, a spin-off podcast that was supposed to feature Mills could now potentially be scrapped.
Earlier this month, it was announced that Mills and Alfie Watts would be the new duo to front The Detour, which will chart the ups and downs of the upcoming series.
It comes after the pair each won their respective series, with Mills winning the celebrity version in 2024 alongside his husband Sam Vaughan after they raced over 12,500 kilometres from Belém in Brazil to Frutillar, Chile.
Watts, meanwhile, starred on the fourth civilian series in 2024 with his best friend Owen Wood.
The pair were required to complete the 15,000 kilometres route from Japan to Indonesia.
Managing to make it the entire way, they became the youngest ever winners.
Commenting on the investigation that was launched into Mills, a Metropolitan Police spokesperson told The Mirror: ‘In December 2016, the Met began an investigation following a referral from another police force.
‘The investigation related to allegations of serious sexual offences against a teenage boy.’
‘A full file of evidence was submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service, who determined the evidential threshold had not been met to bring charges. Following this advice, the investigation was closed in May 2019.’
According to a spokesperson, a man in his 40s was questioned by police under caution in July 2018.
The allegations, which did not result in any charges, were reported to have taken place between 1997 and 2000.
A previous statement from the BBC yesterday said: ‘While we do not comment on matters relating to individuals, we can confirm Scott Mills is no longer contracted to work with the BBC.’
On Monday, Lorna Clarke, Director of Music, told staff that Mills has ‘left the Breakfast show and the BBC’.
Ahead of the civilian series of Race Across the World airing, it remains to be seen what will happen to the podcast spin-off.
In the most recent Celebrity version, broadcaster Roman Kemp and his sister Harley Moon won the race from Mexico to Colombia.
The new civilian series will see the contestants travel 12,000km from Palermo, Italy, to Hatgal, Mongolia, as they cross through eight countries.
Metro has contacted the BBC for comment.
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