BBC Radio 2's Scott Mills says he thought his career was over before landing new job

Scott Mills may have spent the weekend at Radio 2 in the Park, but it wasn’t long ago that he thought his primetime career was over. The DJ took over the station’s Breakfast Show from Zoe Ball in January – and admits it was something he “never expected to be offered”.

“I feel like this at this time in my life, it is so nice to have a little upsurge in my career, especially in this business when a lot of people would think you are done now,” he says. “I never expected to be offered this, but it feels like the right time. I am having the best time of my life.”

Scott and his husband, producer Sam Vaughan, appeared in BBC reality show, Celebrity Race Across the World last year. As part of the programme, which sawfour famous couples race across South America on a budget,contestants had to hand over their phones and switch off from everyday life – which Scott says changed how he handles his day job.

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He says: “This show comes with lots of pressure and taking over from Zoe was massive, but now I am able to turn it off in a way I have never been able to do before. The best thing I have ever done in my life is hand over my phone for five weeks. I didn’t feel like that at the time, but when I could get my phone back I didn’t want it.”

“Race Across the World has massively helped me go back to primetime radio and be able to enjoy it.” Scott reckons that going on the show has helped him establish a better work-life balance. He reveals: “I used to be obsessed with work and my phone but I can now go away with my husband and switch off, and I don’t care about what’s going on. Work is madder than ever, but outside of work, I have balance.”

Former Radio 1 DJ Scott says his transition to Radio 2 was smooth. “It’s all my old mates – Vernon Kay, Sara Cox, Jo Whiley, Trevor Nelson … it is like going back home. It’s hilarious that all the pop stars I interviewed on Radio 1 that I haven’t seen for years I’m now interviewing on Radio 2. It feels like 2002 again.”

“I am in such a great place in my life right now. I am living my best life. I love my job and I am much more chilled. I have a home, a husband and a dog… there’s nothing more I want.”

This comes afterScott revealed he is finally ‘financially secure’ and has ‘made it’ after he took over the BBC Radio 2 breakfast show after Zoe Ball left the post. Scott, 51, took over the position in January from Zoe, who left to focus on her family.

Opening up about his career and his new ability to say ‘no’ to work,after missing sleep for jobs, Scott told The Telegraph : “For the first time, I really do believe in myself. You have to look at the facts. They've put you on the breakfast show, you must be doing something right.”

He recently admitted to taking on ‘too much’ work, sometimes at a ‘risk’ to his own health. Reflecting on his jam-packed career, Scott said: “I was working way too much, because my mindset was that you don't know when it might end. There was one freshers' week where my schedule for playing in student unions was: Monday: Aberdeen, Tuesday: Glasgow, Wednesday: Edinburgh.”

While Scott said he ‘enjoyed’ taking every opportunit y he got for two decades, ‘life is different now’ and he ‘doesn’t want to’ do that anymore. Last month, Scott opened up to the Mirror about the hard work that goes into the show and that Zoe gave him a warning when he took over the job, but he still describes it as his 'happy place'.

He said: “The show is a lot, it's hard work. It's a treadmill every day. I remember when Zoe finished, she said to me: ‘Look, doing breakfast on Radio 2 is quite a lot. It’s quite demanding, and you've just always got to be on."

He added: "She was right. The amount of guests we have - it’s continuous. When she said it to me, I was like: ‘I'm ready’. And I am, it’s my happy place."

The Mail previously reported thatScott took a small pay rise for presenting the show, however, it was significantly less than his predecessor, Zoe. While it is reported that Scott is earning approximately £450,000 a year, Zoe was reportedly on £950,000.

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