Scott Mills quits Radio 1 as he takes over from Steve Wright in major radio shake-up

SCOTT Mills is leaving BBC Radio 1 – to take over one of the biggest shows on the airwaves.

The 49-year-old is quitting the youth station to replace radio legend Steve Wright who has been hosting the afternoon show for 24 years.

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Scott Mills, who first joined Radio 1 back in 1998, is going to Radio 2Credit: BBC

Scott enlisted singer Lewis Capaldi to deliver the bad news in a video he shared on Twitter.

Lewis said: “Scott and Chris are going to be leaving Radio 1, which is a shame. I know you’re all screaming, you’re shouting at the television, you’re throwing things.

“I’m going to miss the boys, but everything’s going to be OK.”

Features on Scott’s show over the years have included Flirt Divert, Rate My Listener, Your Call, Where Do You Think They Were and the most famous, Innuendo Bingo.

Radio 2 listeners are already grumbling about losing Steve, 67, in favour of Scott.

However, the older DJ has been typically gracious about stepping down, explaining it has been in the works for months.

He said: “At the beginning of this year, my friend and boss Helen Thomas, head of Radio 2, said she wanted to do something different in the afternoons.

“Now, I’ve been doing this programme for 24 years at Radio 2, and so how can I possibly complain?

“The support and creative freedom that I’m given is fantastic at Radio 2 and really I can’t hog the slot forever, so let’s give somebody else a go.”

Steve will continue to present the long-running Steve Wright’s Sunday Love Songs at the weekends.

He is also staying on to host Christmas and Easter specials for Radio 2 and the online Serious Jockin’ shows.

Scott will leave Radio 1 after having joined the station in 1998 – as will his long-time sidekick.

Chris Stark will also step down to focus on presenting That Peter Crouch Podcast and The Pirate Ship, his food podcast with chef Tom Kerridge.

The pair’s last shows on Radio 1 and 5 Live will be broadcast in August.

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Steve Wright will stay at Radio 2 but surrender his afternoon programmeCredit: Alamy

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Away from radio, Scott is one of the faces of the BBC’s Eurovision coverageCredit: BBC