Sara Cox launched her first BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show on Monday, July 6, 2026, to positive listener feedback, with many describing her as a "joy to wake up to." The 51-year-old presenter stepped into the role following the departure of Scott Mills.
Cox's debut featured Hollywood actor Tom Hanks as her inaugural guest. Hanks offered a grand introduction, calling Cox "perhaps the most popular young woman to be on the airwaves." Cox acknowledged the significance of the show, which she described as "the biggest radio show in Europe," while also noting her extensive 28-year career in radio.
"It's huge, but I'm ready," Cox stated before her first broadcast. "I'm not nervous because I know I can do a good job. I don't want to sound arrogant, but I've been doing radio for 28 years now."
Hanks shared his perspective on starting new projects, telling Cox, "I'm going to tell you right now, no-one knows what they are doing on the first day of a motion picture because on the first day you are just trying to get used to everything." He added, "By day three you have not been fired, that is a big thing. By the third day you know everybody's name and you are all in this together."
The transition to Cox's show follows the termination of Scott Mills. It was announced in April that Cox would take over the Breakfast Show after Mills was removed from his post. Mills reportedly faces allegations of "serious sexual offences" against a teenage boy under 16. Police questioned Mills under caution in 2018, but the case was dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service in 2019 due to insufficient evidence. The BBC had been aware of the allegations since 2017.
According to reports in May, Mills is suing the BBC for unfair dismissal. His legal team has been in correspondence with the corporation for weeks. Friends of Mills have suggested he was made a "a scapegoat" by the BBC, particularly by then outgoing director-general Tim Davie, who adopted a zero-tolerance approach following other scandals involving BBC personalities. Sources close to Mills indicate he is "devastated, but he is also furious" and feels wronged. He reportedly seeks to clear his name and tell his story, but his legal team is advised against it until the legal proceedings conclude.
Despite the circumstances surrounding Mills's departure, some listeners expressed that they missed him, with one noting, "New presenter today. Miss you Scott Mills." Cox kicked off her first show with Lizzo's "About Damn Time" and played a snippet of Etta James' "At Last," humorously cautioning listeners against seeking hidden messages in the music.