Scott Mills’ first BBC Radio 2 Breakfast debut slot panned by critics

much-anticipated debut as the new Breakfast Show host has been slammed by critics after his inaugural broadcast since Zoe Ball’s departure.

Mills took over the coveted sunrise slot and has faced which some have branded “Marmite radio.”

During one segment, The Easiest Quiz on the Radio, Kate from Essex joined Mills to confess her obsession with Marmite. “That’s yeast extract to you and me,” Mills quipped, before leaning into the infamous branding slogan: “You either love it or you hate it.”

The remark prompted murmurs on social media, with users suggesting Mills himself could be described as the “Marmite” of Radio 2.

weren’t impressed by the former Radio 1 presenter’s “safe” tone. “Mills’ brand of low-level, non-threatening patter is everything Radio 2 wants,” one commentator noted. “Safe, cosy, reliable, uncontroversial – but resolutely middle of the road.”

However, they conceded that Mills, a veteran of 35 years in radio, “know[s] exactly what Radio 2 is meant to be” – frictionless background entertainment for cafes, offices, and even Royal Mail sorting centres.

Critics argued he sounded nervous at inheriting what is dubbed biggest fob in radio, and stats showed , who follows at 9.30am, currently gets more listeners. His opening monologue was an imploration to listeners to give him a chance:

Despite his experience, Mills’ nerves were apparent to many. Opening his first show, he appealed to listeners to give him a chance: “If you could make me part of your morning routine, it would honestly mean so much. I’m going to give it everything I’ve got… I really hope you enjoy it.”

Throughout the broadcast, Mills repeatedly described the experience as “extraordinary” and “overwhelming,” and his fast-paced delivery reflected this tension.

The most chaotic moment of the show came courtesy of travel reporter Ellie Brennan, who surprised Mills with a segment renaming Stockport train station “Scottport” in his honour. While Reverend Kate Bottley roved around “Scottport” interviewing travellers, Mills sounded visibly rattled.

“I’m not in control of everything, which I don’t like,” he joked.

While Mills, who recently turned 50, endeavored to connect with listeners personally, confessing his desire to make people “feel a little less alone in the mornings,” critics suggested his cautious approach left the broadcast feeling too polished. “There’s a more witty, subversive DJ inside Mills,” one critic observed, “but he’s wrestling it into submission.”

They added that occasional glimpses of this sharper edge, such as Mills’ deadpan jokes about “non-invasive cosmetic procedures” or Marmite-induced hilarity with a caller, hinted at an untapped potential.

“I have always felt there is a more witty, more subversive DJ inside Mills, who he wrestles into submission. At the moment, he feels more like the anti-Chris Evans, set to give his bosses what they want – frictionless radio that ruffles the fewest feathers.”

Express Online has contacted the for comment.