Vernon Kay remains the bookmakers’ favourite to replace Scott Mills on the BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show following his shock exit, however a new challenger is rapidly gaining ground.
The veteran broadcaster, 53, had only taken over the flagship slot in January 2025, succeeding Zoe Ball, who stepped down to spend more time with her family.
It was revealed on Monday that Mills had been dismissed over alleged “personal misconduct”.
He was pulled from air last Tuesday while the BBC assessed the situation and was informed over the weekend that his contract had been terminated.
Confirming his departure, the BBC said in a statement: “While we do not comment on matters relating to individuals, we can confirm Scott Mills is no longer contracted and has left the BBC.”
Attention has now turned to who could take over one of the biggest jobs in UK radio, with betting intensifying in the wake of Mills’ departure.
Vernon Kay remains the bookmakers’ favourite to replace Mills, however the race has widened with a new contender emerging.
Kay, who hosts a mid-morning show on Radio 2, is already a familiar voice to listeners and has previously covered high-profile slots on the station. He is the frontrunner at 2/1.
However, Sara Cox has now emerged as a serious challenger, priced at 3/1 and installed as second favourite.
Cox, who hosts the weekday drivetime show on the station, is already set to step in for Mills as part of the BBC’s upcoming Eurovision Song Contest coverage. In a recent interview, she also said she is “no longer afraid to crumple a man’s fragile ego”.
Gary Davies, who had been the early frontrunner and has been sitting in since Mills first went off air, is now at 7/2.
OJ Borg follows at 5/1, while Rylan Clark, who previously surged in the betting, is now priced at 7/1.
Clara Amfo and Greg James are both at 8/1, with Claudia Winkleman and Dermot O’Leary sitting at 10/1.
Roman Kemp has also entered the frame at 14/1, while Tony Blackburn and Joe Wilkinson are among the outsiders at 20/1. Taskmaster creator Alex Horne is a 40/1 long shot.
William Hill spokesperson Lee Phelps said: “Vernon Kay remains our 2/1 favourite to succeed Scott Mills as the next BBC Radio 2 Breakfast host, but the new arrival of Sara Cox at 3/1 shows how open this race still is.
“With Gary Davies (7/2), OJ Borg (5/1) and Rylan Clark (7/1) also in strong contention, there are several candidates Radio 2 could go with as they decide who wakes up the nation after Mills’ departure from the show.”
The BBC has yet to confirm who will take over the role permanently, and it is understood that interim hosting arrangements could be put in place while a long-term successor is decided.
The Radio 2 Breakfast Show remains one of the most listened-to programmes in the UK, making the appointment a key decision for the broadcaster.
