Scott Mills became the BBC‘s highest-paid presenter before being abruptly terminated as the host of the Radio 2 breakfast show in March.

The BBC fired the radio DJ after receiving new information relating to a police investigation over alleged historical sexual offences, which prosecutors ultimately dropped.

Mills pocketed as much as £750,000 ($1M) in the 12 months to the end of March 2026, meaning he comfortably topped the BBC’s annual presenter pay ranking (top 20 below).

His salary increased by around £400,000, or 108%, from last year, according to the BBC’s annual report.

Next in line was Greg James, host of the Radio 1 breakfast show. James took home as much as £450,000, which was £300,000 less than Mills.

Mills unseated Gary Lineker as the BBC’s highest earner after the former Match of the Day host had been top of the league table for eight consecutive years.

Lineker exited the BBC after 26 years in May 2025, but still featured in the BBC’s presenter pay ranking. His final salary was £330,000, which was down around £1M from the previous year.

Mills’ rise to the top is an awkward moment for the BBC, which moved quickly to cut ties with the presenter after new details emerged about a historical police investigation.

The investigation concerned events between 1997 and 2000, and reportedly related to allegations concerning a boy under the age of 16, the legal age of consent in the UK. Mills was 23–24 years old in 1997. Prosecutors ultimately determined there was not enough evidence to press charges.

Mills was replaced by Sara Cox on the Radio 2 breakfast show, meaning she will likely be the BBC’s highest-paid presenter next year. Her salary stood at nearly £325,000 in 2025-26.

Laura Kuenssberg, who hosts Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, was the BBC’s highest-earning news presenter. She took home as much as £410,000, which is up £10,000 on last year.

Overall, the BBC’s total talent costs edged up nearly 1.5% to £14.2M, the highest level in six years. The figures do not include presenters paid through BBC Studios or third-party producers, meaning the likes of Graham Norton or Claudia Winkleman do not feature.

Rhodri Talfan Davies, the BBC’s deputy director general, said the corporation had made “remarkable progress” in cutting presenter pay in recent years, but it was a “balancing act” because it has to compete with commercial rivals to attract talent.