Scott Mills launched his Radio 2 Breakfast Show on Monday morning, after taking over the prestigious time slot from Zoe Ball.

The BBC radio veteran, 51, kicked off his first show with an emotional tribute to his predecessors and his childhood self, gushing he had been waiting for this day for years. 

‘Here we go then, Monday the 27th of January 2025 and this is The Scott Mills Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 2, and I can’t believe I am finally saying those words,’ the presenter began.

‘As a radio presenter and a radio fan all my life, I’m still finding it quite hard to process that this is happening, if I’m honest. If I think too much about the previous occupiers of this show it becomes mind-blowing to me for a kid who wanted to be on the radio, but wasn’t sure he had the self-confidence to be able to actually do it.’

Scott promised to make listeners smile and dance and ‘keep your spirits up on mornings when maybe you don’t feel so great’.

‘I’ve worked at the BBC for 25 years now on the radio,’ he continued. ‘A lot of you may well have grown up listening to me, I’m sure a lot of you will not have much idea about me at all.’

Scott Mills launched his Radio 2 Breakfast Show on Monday morning, after taking over the prestigious time slot from Zoe Ball 

The BBC radio veteran, 51, kicked off his first show with an emotional tribute to his predecessorsand his childhood self, gushing he had been waiting for this day for years 

‘Either way, if you could make me part of your morning routine, it would honestly mean so much because, believe me, I’m gonna give it absolutely everything I’ve got.’

Listeners were excited by the Breakfast Show shakeup with one writing on X, formerly known as Twitter: ‘@scott_mills sounding brilliant on his 1st Breakfast show this morning. Love his new jingles as well. Welcome to the #BBCRadio2 Breakfast show Scott.’

‘The new @scott_mills breakfast show is on point. Upbeat and uplifting from the get go. Chuffed for the guy. Can tell he’s having the time of his life @BBCRadio2t,’ agreed another.

Others though were left disappointed with Zoe’s replacement, with one tweeting: ’10 minutes into Scott Mills’ breakfast show and … I’m already bored with it. Ah well, gave it a go, but after many years of listening to the breakfast show, time for something else.’

‘what the hell is going on with the @scott_mills radio show? It’s a mess. Sometimes less is more. Just play the music and forget the absolute nonsense and gimmicks. So difficult to listen to this narcissistic nonsense,’ asked another.

Introducing his co-stars, traffic & travel presenter Ellie Brennan and newsreader Tina Daheley, Scott then launched into his very first track – Robbie Williams’ Rock DJ.

‘Everyone’s been trying to guess what our first song will be,’ Scott told the listeners. ‘And, as they introduced me – I don’t know if you saw it on Friday night’s One Show, they played this in the background and I was like, ‘Oh great’, they didn’t know this was my first song, but I just had to smile and wave at the camera and pretend that they hadn’t guessed it… Robbie Williams!’

Listeners were excited by the Breakfast Show shakeup with one writing on X, formerly known as Twitter: ‘@scott_mills sounding brilliant on his 1st Breakfast show this morning. Love his new jingles as well

Later in the show, Robbie himself called in to thank Scott for playing his track, gushing: ‘I’ve just woken up to loads of messages from people going, ‘Scott’s playing the new version of Rock DJ, it’s his first song’, so thank you!

Zoe also sent Scott a surprise good luck message, telling her replacement: ‘I think I’m more excited about your first show than you will be right now.’

‘I keep getting really tearful. I’m so proud of you, I just need you to know that. You are so born to do this, and I’ve just swallowed an egg custard so I can’t breathe.’

His pal Davina McCall also sent her love, telling Scott: ‘Oh my goodness, you are amazing. I mean, love it. How long have I been a fan, Scott? Like, forever!’

‘I know how much this means to you. I know how hard you have worked throughout your entire career and I also know what an amazing broadcaster you are. I am so happy for you Scott Mills. And brace yourself, I’m coming to get you!’

Last week Scott defended his BBC pay check after ‘working my whole life’ for the dream role. 

Introducing his co-stars, traffic & travel presenter Ellie Brennan and newsreader Tina Daheley, Scott launched into his very first track – Robbie Williams’ Rock DJ

Others though were left disappointed with Zoe’s replacement, with one tweeting: ’10 minutes into Scott Mills’ breakfast show and … I’m already bored with it

Scott is reportedly taking a small pay rise and will earn £450,000 a year which is far below Zoe’s £950,000

Scott is reportedly taking a small pay rise and will earn £450,000 a year which is far below Zoe’s £950,000.

The dramatic pay difference comes as BBC bosses are under ‘enormous pressure’ to cut back on costs. 

He has said after ‘playing the long game’ and starting out earning just £20 show, people cannot say that he hasn’t worked hard. 

Scott told The Sun’s Bizarre: ‘I’ve been doing this since I was 16 and I’ll tell you how much I got paid then – £20 a show. And it was a five-hour show in the middle of the night, 1 until 6am.’

He continued: ‘It’s not like some H๏τsH๏τ’s turned up and is earning all this cash. No one likes discussing.

‘But I don’t think you can say that I haven’t played the long game. I hope people won’t think, ‘Well, he hasn’t worked very hard for that,’ because I’ve worked for this my whole life.’ 

Last week, Scott revealed his emotional reaction when he was told he had landed his dream job as host of the Radio 2 Breakfast Show.

The radio veteran, whose previous weekday slot of 2pm to 4pm will be filled by Trevor Nelson, has recalled the moment he got the call about his new role, admitting: ‘I cried in my dressing gown. I fully sobbed.’

Later in the show, Robbie himself called in to thank Scott for playing his track, gushing: ‘ I’ve just woken up to loads of messages from people

Last week Scott defended his BBC pay check after ‘working my whole life’ for the dream role 

Zoe Ball hosted her final Breakfast Show last month after stepping down from the programme to ‘focus on family’ after six years at the helm 

He added in the interview with The Mirror that the news was tinged with sadness as he reflected on his 35 years in radio.  

‘Once I’d kind of calmed down from the sobbing, I was kind of having a real reflective moment of like, ‘Well, I remember being a bit sad that I never got The Radio 1 Breakfast Show,’ but then if I had at the time, would I be where I am now?

‘I’m getting a lot of messages from people going, ‘I am 55 and it’s just encouraging for me to see that someone like you is absolutely flying and doing the best they have ever done at your time of life’. 

‘And I mean, it is true. And I never thought this would happen. I’m enjoying my career peak at my age.’ 

Scott said last week that the news of his new job was tinged with sadness as he reflected on 35 years in radio. ‘ I was having a reflective moment, “I remember being sad that I never got The R1 Breakfast Show’

Zoe Ball hosted her final Breakfast Show last month after stepping down from the programme to ‘focus on family’ after six years at the helm. 

Choking back tears, Ball said: ‘Oh my goodness, this is for everyone who’s listened and everyone in the room and my kids of course. Do I Love You (Indeed I Do) It’s Frank Wilson.’

As her three-hour show came to an end, Ball signed off to her listeners with a message of female empowerment.

The first ever female host of the Radio 2 Breakfast Show, shared: ‘Remember, girls, you can do anything.’ 

She began her final message by remarking it had been a ‘real privilege’ to host the show, as she praised the ‘special, intimate relationship’ she had with the listeners, saying it felt like ‘having a chat with a mate’. 

Ball shared: ‘It’s been such a gift to do this show, to follow wonderful Terry and, of course, Chris, tough acts to follow. Pretty cool to be the first lᴀss to host and I won’t be the last. Remember, girls, you can do anything.