Salary disclosure and departure
The BBC’s latest annual report has disclosed that DJ Scott Mills was the corporation’s highest-paid presenter during the 2025-2026 financial year, earning approximately £745,000. This figure represents almost his full annual salary, as he was dismissed by the broadcaster in March.
Mills’s departure followed the emergence of accusations regarding historical sexual offences involving a teenager under 16 in the late 1990s. While Mills fully co-operated with a police investigation launched in 2016, the case was closed in 2019 after prosecutors determined there was insufficient evidence to bring charges. His salary in this final year marked a significant increase from the £355,000 he earned in the previous financial year.
Institutional challenges
The disclosure comes at a time of heightened scrutiny for the BBC. Chairman Samir Shah acknowledged a “rocky period” for the institution, citing editorial failings that have impacted public trust. Newly appointed director general Matt Brittin described the current climate as a “moment of real jeopardy” for the broadcaster, which faces an existential debate over its future funding model as the current charter approaches its 2027 expiration.
The annual report also highlighted broader internal issues, noting that formal grievances regarding bullying and sexual harassment at the workplace rose to 53 cases of bullying and three of sexual harassment, a trend the BBC attributed to increased awareness and encouragement for staff to report misconduct following a 2025 cultural review.
Broader financial landscape
The BBC’s salary list remains incomplete, as it only accounts for talent paid directly by the corporation. Many high-profile figures, including Claudia Winkleman and Graham Norton, are excluded because they are paid through independent production companies. Furthermore, the report noted a decline in the reach of the traditional TV licence, with the total number of licences in force dropping by 539,000 last year, continuing a five-year trend of contraction.