Scott Mills’ pay is REVEALED as he takes over Radio 2 breakfast show… but it’s much less than Zoe Ball’s salary

Scott Mills will earn less than half his predecessor Zoe Ball’s salary when he takes over her breakfast show on BBC Radio 2.

Scott, 51, will reportedly get a small pay rise and will earn £450,000 a year, well below Zoe’s £950,000.

The dramatic pay gap comes as BBC bosses are under ‘enormous pressure’ to cut costs, but Scott is reportedly ‘excited’ about the gig despite the money.

A source said The sun: ‘The BBC is under enormous pressure to make significant cuts.

‘BBC director general Tim Davie is quietly announcing that the days of huge seven-figure salaries for the golden girls and boys are over.

Scott, 51, will reportedly get a small pay rise and will earn £450,000 a year, which is significantly lower than Zoe’s £950,000

‘But it is a real balancing act, because as a public broadcaster it must and wants to attract top talent.

‘The fear is that stars, who are already fed up with public criticism when their salaries are published, could defect to the streamers or ITV.

“However, Scott was genuinely excited when he got the gig. He didn’t even ask for a raise.’

On Tuesday, Zoe announced on air that she will be leaving the primetime show in December after six years, but will remain on the channel – and listeners have reacted to the news of her successor with a mix of complaints and congratulations.

Zoe – who replaced Chris Evans in 2019 – took a break from hosting her show this summer before returning in September.

Announcing the news of her show, she said: “After six years of fun times with all of you on the breakfast show, I’ve decided it’s time to leave the early alarm calls behind and start a new chapter.”

Zoe said she was ‘excited’ to unveil Scott as her replacement, telling listeners: ‘Scott and I go way back to our Radio 1 days when he would do the early mornings before me. He has been a good friend for years and I am very happy that he is taking over the Breakfast Show.

‘Breakfast has always been his dream, and what a year he has had: from racing around the world to his beautiful wedding to Sam. Not only is he a brilliant producer, he’s also one of the best on radio. I can’t wait to take part in the school run!’.

The dramatic pay gap comes as BBC bosses are under ‘enormous pressure’ to cut costs, but Scott is reportedly ‘thrilled’ with the gig despite the money

Zoe said she was ‘excited’ to unveil Scott as her replacement after taking over the show from Chris Evans in 2019

However, reactions on social media have been mixed, with one listener labeling him “a terrible replacement,” while another called this morning’s announcement “horrific news.”

Others have vowed to switch off as a result, with one saying it was ‘time to find another station’.

Still others were more favourable, with comments including ‘fantastic news’ and ‘huge congratulations’, while describing him as ‘as talented’ as Zoe.

Scott joined his friend on her show and said he was “extremely excited” to take over.

He said: ‘Zoe and I have been such good friends for over 25 years now and have spent much of that time as part of the same radio family here at Radio 2 and also on Radio 1. She has done a fantastic job on this show the past six years, and I am beyond excited to be handing over the baton.

“It feels like since recording my first shows as a child in front of an audience of one, my mother, all roads since then have led to this amazing opportunity. It really is a lifelong dream come true to follow in the footsteps of Sir Terry, Chris and Zoe and become the new presenter of the Radio 2 Breakfast Show.”

Zoe was the first female presenter of the Radio 1 Breakfast Show in 1998, a position she held until 2000.

From 1996 she also co-presented the BBC children’s magazine Live & Kicking on Saturday mornings, alongside Jamie Theakston for three years.