BBC Announces Tyler West as New Host for Race Across The World Podcast After Scott Mills Dismissal
The BBC has confirmed a significant last-minute change to its podcast lineup, with Strictly Come Dancing star Tyler West stepping in to replace Scott Mills as co-host of The Detour, a spin-off podcast for the popular series Race Across The World. This announcement comes just days before the launch of the sixth series of the main show, set to premiere on Thursday.
Background on Scott Mills' Departure
Scott Mills, a veteran BBC presenter who earned between £315,000 and £319,999 in 2025 after taking over the Radio 2 Breakfast Show from Zoe Ball, was abruptly fired from the corporation on Monday. This decision followed a complaint related to a police investigation into allegations of serious sexual offences against a boy under the age of 16.
According to a Metropolitan Police spokesperson, an investigation was launched in December 2016 after a referral from another police force. The allegations, which reportedly occurred between 1997 and 2000, involved a man in his 40s who was questioned under caution in July 2018. The Crown Prosecution Service reviewed the evidence and determined that the threshold for charges was not met, leading to the closure of the investigation in May 2019.
In a statement, the BBC confirmed that Mills is no longer contracted to work with the organization, with Lorna Clarke, Director of Music, informing staff that he has left the Breakfast show and the BBC.
Tyler West Steps Into the Spotlight
Tyler West, a broadcaster, DJ, and former Strictly Come Dancing contestant, will now co-host The Detour alongside Alfie Watts. West previously participated in the celebrity version of Race Across The World in 2025 alongside his fiancée Molly Rainford. The podcast, produced by Studio Lambert, known for The Traitors, was initially announced in March with Mills and Watts as hosts.
Despite the sudden change, Deadline has confirmed that The Detour will definitely proceed as planned, offering listeners insights into the ups and downs of the upcoming series. The podcast aims to complement the main show, which features contestants traveling 12,000 kilometers from Palermo, Italy, to Hatgal, Mongolia, crossing through eight countries.
Race Across The World Series Details
The sixth series of Race Across The World marks a return to civilian contestants after the most recent celebrity version, which was won by broadcaster Roman Kemp and his sister Harley Moon as they raced from Mexico to Colombia. In the 2024 celebrity series, Scott Mills and his husband Sam Vaughan emerged victorious, covering over 12,500 kilometers from Belém, Brazil, to Frutillar, Chile.
Alfie Watts, who will co-host the podcast with Tyler West, won the fourth civilian series in 2024 alongside his best friend Owen Wood. They completed a 15,000-kilometer route from Japan to Indonesia, becoming the youngest winners in the show's history.
This development underscores the BBC's commitment to maintaining its programming despite controversies, with Tyler West bringing a fresh perspective to the podcast as the network navigates the fallout from Mills' dismissal.
