Underneath the post Scott’s former BBC colleagues shared their support, posting sweet messages and love hearts underneath the picture

Underneath the post which was captioned ‘2 years [red heart emoji]’, Zoe Ball wrote: ‘Love you [four red heart emojis]’

‘It’s been a dream to host the Breakfast Show since I joined Radio 2 and it feels like a bit of a full circle for me.

‘I’ve had the most glorious seven years of my career on Teatime so thank you to my brilliant Teatime listeners who hopefully will join me at Breakfast for excellent music and all my usual nonsense plus some superstar guests.

‘I honestly can’t wait to wake the nation up with the biggest, most fun breakfast show ever.’

And speaking to listeners for the first time on her Radio 2 weekday Teatime show since the announcement, Sara said: ‘It takes quite a lot to make me speechless, but when I got asked to host the Radio 2 Breakfast Show, I was momentarily lost for words.

‘Maybe that’s why they asked me, was it just to shut me up! But I mean, it’s always been my dream to do Breakfast, my energy has very much been waiting in the wings. Hi I am waiting in the wings gal! Can I have Breakfast please?!

‘But I am so glad it’s happening now. I tell you what, I would not swap the last seven years of Teatime for anything. I’m going to get emotional so I got to stop that by doing this (*plays song).

‘I can’t get emotional over this music so it’s fine. I wouldn’t swap the last seven years of Teatime because I’ve had an absolute blast.

‘It has been the most golden seven years of my entire 30-year career, and I’ve learnt so much from you because you’re the most hilarious, brilliant listeners and I beg you – please come to Breakfast with me. Please I will send you all £5 and a clipper card.’

Sara is close friends with Scott and worked alongside him at Radio 2 and Radio 1 for years; Pictured together in 2014

Rylan also voiced his support for Sam

Addressing rumours that Greg James was being lined up for the role, she said: ‘Have you told Greg James I’m doing his job apparently? He’s going to be gutted.’

Helen Thomas, Head of Radio 2, said: ‘I’m delighted that Sara Cox will be the new host of the prestigious Radio 2 Breakfast Show.

‘Sara is adored by her millions of listeners at Teatime, and having regularly deputised in the slot, I already know she’ll build a brilliant rapport with the Breakfast audience and get the nation going each morning with her trademark warmth and humour.

‘She captured the hearts of the country last November, raising a staggering £11.5million for Children in Need on her Great Northern Marathon Challenge and thoroughly deserves this gig. I can’t wait to hear her first show.’

The replacement presenter for Sara’s weekday 4-7pm slot will be announced in due course.

The announcement was met by a chorus of congratulations on social media from Sara’s friends. Denise Van Outen commented: ‘Amazing! Aww, congratulations.’ Lauren Laverne said: ‘YES IT HAD TO BE!!!! Well done.’

Dan Walker wrote ‘well done Sara’ and Angela Scanlon said: ‘GET IT GIRL’.

Scott was fired by the BBC for a historical allegation of serious sexual offences.

The allegations he faced are said to have happened between 1997 and 2000, police said, while Scott was in his mid-20s.

Scott was questioned under caution by police in 2018 but the case was rejected by the Crown Prosecution Service in 2019 due to a lack of evidence. The BBC admitted that it knew about the allegations as far back as 2017.

Scott was sacked from the BBC after it was discovered he had been the subject of allegations of ‘serious sexual offences’ against a teenage boy under 16

Sources close to the star branded him the ‘nicest man in showbiz’ to the Daily Mail and said friends are ‘very worried for his mental health’ as they admitted they ‘don’t know how he will get through this’.

Another said that his husband Sam, whom he met in 2016 and married in 2024, has been ‘a great source of support’ and is the ‘one thing that is keeping Scott going‘.

Announcing his sacking from the corporation, Lorna Clarke, Director of Music, told BBC staff in an email last month: ‘I wanted to personally let you know that Scott Mills has left the Breakfast show, and the BBC.

‘I know that this news will be sudden and unexpected and therefore must come as a shock.

‘Not least as so many of us have worked with Scott over a great many years, across a broad range of our programmes on R1, 5Live, R2 and TV. I felt it was important to share this news with you at the earliest opportunity.

‘Of course, it will also come as a shock to our audience and loyal breakfast show listeners too.’

In an extraordinary statement to the Daily Mail, Scott broke his silence, insisting he ‘fully cooperated and responded’ at the time of the police probe. But he did not not address the allegations.

His full statement read: ‘The recent announcement that I am no longer contracted to the BBC has led to the publication of rumour and speculation. In response to this the Metropolitan Police has made a statement, which I confirm relates to me.

‘An allegation was made against me in 2016 of a historic sexual offence which was the subject of a police investigation in which I fully cooperated and responded to in 2018.

‘As the police have stated, a file of evidence was submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service, which determined that the evidential threshold had not been met to bring charges.

‘Since the investigation related to an allegation that dates back nearly 30 years and the police investigation was closed seven years ago, I hope that the public and the media will understand and respect my wish not to make any further public comment on this matter.

‘I wish to thank from the bottom of my heart all those who have reached out to me with kindness, my former colleagues and my beloved listeners, who I greatly miss.’

In a further statement, the BBC said: ‘Scott Mills had a long career across the BBC, he was hugely popular and we know the news this week has come as a shock and surprise to many.

‘What we can confirm is that in recent weeks, we obtained new information relating to Scott and we spoke directly with him. As a result, the BBC acted decisively in line with our culture and values and terminated his contracts on Friday, March 27.

‘The BBC has made a significant commitment to improve its culture, processes and standards. Last year, following an independent culture review, we set out the behavioural expectations for everyone who works with or for the BBC and we were clear that action would be taken if these were not met.

‘Separately, we can confirm the BBC was made aware in 2017 of the existence of an ongoing police investigation, which was subsequently closed in 2019 with no arrest or charge being made.

‘We are doing more work to understand the details of what was known by the BBC at this time.’

Sara kicked off her BBC radio career when she joined BBC Radio 1 in 1999 to present a Saturday lunchtime show, moving on the following year to present the Radio 1 Breakfast Show until December 2003.

Over the next 11 years Sara presented various shows on the network, including the weekday afternoon show, a weekend afternoon show and weekday mornings.

She joined Radio 2 in 2011, deputising for various presenters across the schedule. She launched Sounds of the 80s on the station in 2013 and raised £1.2million for Comic Relief by taking part in a non-stop 24-hour 80s Dance Challenge in 2017.

In May 2018, Sara began presenting a weekday 10pm to midnight show on the station, moving to host the Teatime show later that year.