Scott Mills was sacked by the BBC after the corporation learned the police investigation into allegations of a historical sexual offence involved a person under 16, it has been reported.
The BBC has confirmed it knew about the police investigation into Mills in 2017, but said it “acted decisively” after receiving “new information” in the weeks before his sacking.
The corporation said it terminated his contracts on Friday, just days after taking him off air.
His sacking was announced on Monday.
Current management only became aware in recent weeks that the person was under 16 and took action, BBC News reported.
It is not clear if BBC managers at the time of the investigation in 2017, when Mills was working at youth station Radio 1, knew the age.
The police investigation was closed in 2019 after prosecutors decided there was insufficient evidence to bring charges.
In his first public statement since news broke of his sacking on Monday, Mills said he had co-operated fully with the investigation, adding he has been the subject of “rumour and speculation”.
He said: “The recent announcement that I am no longer contracted to the BBC has led to the publication of rumour and speculation.
“In response to this the Metropolitan Police has made a statement, which I confirm relates to me.
“An allegation was made against me in 2016 of a historic sexual offence which was the subject of a police investigation in which I fully co-operated and responded to in 2018.
“As the police have stated, a file of evidence was submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service, which determined that the evidential threshold had not been met to bring charges.
“Since the investigation related to an allegation that dates back nearly 30 years and the police investigation was closed seven years ago, I hope that the public and the media will understand and respect my wish not to make any further public comment on this matter.
“I wish to thank from the bottom of my heart all those who have reached out to me with kindness, my former colleagues, and my beloved listeners, who I greatly miss.”
The Metropolitan Police launched an investigation into the 53-year-old in 2016 over allegations of serious sexual offences involving a teenage boy under 16 between 1997 and 2000.
Mills was questioned under caution by officers in July 2018 and The Sun has reported that Mills denied the claims at the time and informed the BBC.
The newspaper said BBC bosses decided not to take the then-Radio 1 presenter off air at the time and the case was dropped in May 2019 because of lack of evidence.
Hampshire Police said the sexual offences allegations were first reported by a third party in 2016, and that the force logged the details and passed on information to the Met for investigation.
