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Scott Mills is up for the challenge of breakfast

Jono

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Jono

Jono

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Scott Mills may look the picture of the laid-back Radio 1 presenter, but he sounds, if not militant, then at least a little het up.

The issue which has riled him is gay rights, a topic the 36-year-old has been reluctant to speak about in the past for fear of being pigeon-holed as a "gay DJ". In something of an about-face, he is now planning a programme about homosexuality in Uganda, one of the most dangerous places to be gay on the planet.

"I'd quite like to do something serious. I'm sure it'll move me, and it'll also get the people off my back that say I don't do anything," he says. It is difficult to work out what he is more upset about: the parlous lack of gay rights in many countries or the people pestering him to do something about it.

One gets the sense that he has been corralled into using his high profile– more than six million listen to his early evening show – to advance gay causes. While Mills, who came out without fanfare in a newspaper interview in 2005, insists he is not the campaigning type, he has been working with charities such as the Terrence Higgins Trust.

"Some people just lend themselves to waving the flag, but I've never been like that," he says. "I get a lot of emails from people asking why don't I do more? Some gay people want me to go on air and say 'what about gay issues?', but I'm doing a mainstream daytime radio show, it is not a social affairs programme."

While a natural entertainer, the presenter is clearly wary of controversy, trotting out the party line on everything from the multi-million pound salaries of some BBC presenters – necessary to prevent them from being poached by rival stations, apparently – to the "great value" licence fee, and BBC Radio 6 Music's reprieve, which he describes as "the best PR they've ever had".

After six years presenting his own show, Mills is clearly comfortable in his own skin. So comfortable that he makes no bones about his desire to bag the coveted breakfast slot currently held by loudmouth DJ Chris Moyles. "It would be a brilliant challenge. If they offered me the morning show I'd be a fool to say no. My lifestyle lends itself to it now. I feel more centred, like I've got everything in order," he says.

The Hampshire-born DJ joined Radio 1 in 1998 as a presenter on The Early Breakfast Show after several years in commercial radio. In May, Mills's stellar rise was confirmed when he pipped Moyles to the post to win the Sony Music Radio Personality of the Year award – an achievement he describes as "unbelievable". He says that he cried after receiving the award.

"If you'd asked me a couple of years ago if I could have done it [the breakfast show] I'd have said no. I was going out too much, drinking too much."

While Mills may still be dressed like an overgrown teenager, in combat shorts and a bright purple hoodie, his huge Nike trainers dangling over the arm of the chair while he fiddles with his iPhone, he has undoubtedly grown up. This transformation is partly due to the stabilising effect of his partner of a year, with whom he has just bought a house in north London; "the slightly ghetto end of Crouch End", he insists.

Mills's fresh-faced appearance is testament to this healthy new lifestyle – he has given up the booze and hired a personal trainer – although he pleads exhaustion due to juggling his duty filling in for Chris Moyles while he is on holiday with rehearsals for the one-man show he will perform at the Edinburgh Fringe later this month.

Entitled The Bjorn Identity, the piece combines the plot of the Bourne Identity action film with the songs of Abba. "It is like in Mamma Mia! when they shoehorn the songs in," he says. "It'll just be me, with masks and other pre-recorded voices."

This follows on from the success of the DJ's first foray into theatre. That was in Edinburgh last year, Scott Mills: The Musical, which started out as an on-air joke but turned into a slick ensemble number which garnered positive reviews and was watched by one million people online. His Radio 1 shows will also be broadcast live from the city between 16 and 19 August.

"I can hold a note, but I'd never be a good stage performer. The idea terrifies me. I got into radio because it was a way of reaching lots of people without actually having to meet them," he says.

While Mills may plead shyness and insecurity, one gets the impression this is more out of habit than genuine feeling, and that it would take more than soloing Swedish pop songs to ruffle this presenter's feathers.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/tv-radio/mills-dips-his-toe-in-controversy-and-sizes-up-the-morning-show-2046357.html

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MrDoovdeHaxorz

MrDoovdeHaxorz

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Nice read. I never knew about the whole gay thing though - but who cares? He can be who he wants, and I don't think anyone needs to be branded because of it - I'll still keep listening.

+1 for this. This is a good piece and this programme he's planning sounds like it'll be a change of pace from his usual fare, but in a good way.

Professional eater of puppy dogs, baby heads and killer of grannies...

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R94N

R94N

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+1 for this. This is a good piece and this programme he's planning sounds like it'll be a change of pace from his usual fare, but in a good way.

Thanks. I think something serious would be kind of interesting to see from him, since most of the shows are comedy :D

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TheEpicPlum

TheEpicPlum

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He's moving in with his boyfriend? N'aww, good for him.

I am so watching this programme. Ughanda disgusts me. It's a horrible country, sorry, but, it just is. I'll post a link for the worst video ever in a bit, I emailed it to all my friends, so I'll have it in my sent folder. It scared me.

Also, I was born in Hampshire, too!

OMASM. Radio presenters are like fruit. Matt is my kumquat and Scott is blatantly my orange.

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R94N

R94N

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I am so watching this programme. Ughanda disgusts me. It's a horrible country, sorry, but, it just is. I'll post a link for the worst video ever in a bit, I emailed it to all my friends, so I'll have it in my sent folder. It scared me.

I don't think any country with as much poverty as Uganda is going to be a nice country to live in.

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TheEpicPlum

TheEpicPlum

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIXiNX71coc&feature=youtube_gdata

Video about Uganda. ^^^ It's sick, I know. Love is love, get over it.

Also, I couldn't find the original video of this, because I'm on my iPod, so I got a RayWilliamJohnson video including it.

OMASM. Radio presenters are like fruit. Matt is my kumquat and Scott is blatantly my orange.

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John

John

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When will people realise that been gay is not a matter of choice. Its something that can't be helped. I personally believe its what you are born with. You can not help who you are attracted to. The Scott Mills documentary regarding Uganda will be very interesting.

take control

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corsaboi

corsaboi

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I think it's kind of important that people like Mills are around who don't make a big deal of being gay or extremely camp. It helps break down the notion that there's a big difference between gays and straights.

As for the uganda thing, this is not just limited to uganda, it's a pan africa thing. The wierdest thing though, is that in places like Malawi, you see lads walking down the street holding hands, or linking little fingers. They're not gay, they're just friends.

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Lee.

Lee.

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As a gay man this proves why Scott mills is a big hero of mine he is gay but it doesn't define who he is and can't wait for his Uganda programme .

Also if you really want to see how messed up Uganda and parts of Africa is watch a programme called africas witch children it's about childs as young as 5 or 6 yo whose tribal communities think the child is bringing bad luck and evil spirits to the village so they decide to try to kill them it's so horrible !!!

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Nadia

Nadia

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Reading this made me happy! I'm glad everything seems to be working for him. And about him feeling pressured to do something for gay rights: I personally don't think it's his responsibility, but I think it's sad he feels the need "hide" it in fear of being labeled.

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Nadia

Nadia

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I agree that he doesn't have to make a big deal about him being gay. But I still think that if he was straight he would've casually mentioned doing things with his girlfriend and it wouldn't be a big statement about his sexuality. Scott never mentions his partner. But I don't blame him or anything, I blame our heteronormative society ;)

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TheEpicPlum

TheEpicPlum

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It's a shame that sexuality even matters. I know some gay people live their lives by it, which straight people don't do so much.

I went out for the day with my friends and we were in a park, on this swing thing. A load of 6 year olds wanted to get on it as soon as we did. Ergh, they were horrible. Anyway, I said as we were getting off the swing, 'Oh, come on, let's go to our lesbian pride meeting.' (Private joke.)

My friend said, 'Shush, they're only 6!!'

I replied, 'Oh, it doesn't matter.'

A woman was walking past and came up to me and said, 'IT DOES MATTER!'

I'm wondering now... Does it matter?

I mean, my 5 year old brother apparently has a boyfriend, as he told me last night over dinner.

OMASM. Radio presenters are like fruit. Matt is my kumquat and Scott is blatantly my orange.

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Rik

Rik

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You simply cannot base your opinions on an entire nation on the way the deal with one single issue. African countries need help from westerners - after all, it is really their poverty that causes them to think this about homosexuality because they can't afford education, they turn to religion instead. It is these deep religious teachings that cause these beliefs about homosexuality. And because they aren't being educated, they can't broaden their knowledge, so they only know what has been passed down to them by elders and what has been preached to them.

Ugandans aren't being evil, it's just that they don't know anything else. That is their culture, that is what they believe in.

I agree, it would be much better if they can live more peacefully and be more accepting of homosexuality. But all that will happen is that we will start imposing western culture on a non western country, something that is quite offensive. We need to think before we start going round on our moral high horses. It is a sad situation, but think about the bigger picture.

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yorkieboy

yorkieboy

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You simply cannot base your opinions on an entire nation on the way the deal with one single issue. African countries need help from westerners - after all, it is really their poverty that causes them to think this about homosexuality because they can't afford education, they turn to religion instead. It is these deep religious teachings that cause these beliefs about homosexuality. And because they aren't being educated, they can't broaden their knowledge, so they only know what has been passed down to them by elders and what has been preached to them.

Ugandans aren't being evil, it's just that they don't know anything else. That is their culture, that is what they believe in.

I agree, it would be much better if they can live more peacefully and be more accepting of homosexuality. But all that will happen is that we will start imposing western culture on a non western country, something that is quite offensive. We need to think before we start going round on our moral high horses. It is a sad situation, but think about the bigger picture.

I agree with what your saying. People turn to religion when they are desperate, and people in these countries aren't as modernised or developed in their thinking to interpret christianity or other religions in the same way that most relgious people in the West do. I don't think this makes them evil.

As for the whole gay thing, Alan Carr said something along the lines of 'Being a comic and not mentioning anything about homosexuality is the best way to show equality'.

As for the article it's good in some ways, but there's no way Scott will be offered the Breakfast show other than covering. When they get rid of Moyles the reason would be that he's not fresh...need to give way to the up and coming talent and all that bullshit. They'd get a massive backlash if they put someone in his place who was the same age and had been on radio 1 for 10 years.

Also I'm not sure whether the people of Uganda would be entirely convinced by an orange man turning up and saying that homosexuality is not a bad thing....but good luck to him if thats what he does.

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