Rylan Clark tells critics to 'lay off' Scott Mills as he stands in for Ken Bruce on BBC Radio 2

Rylan Clark told critics to "lay off" Scott Mills after the popular BBC Radio One presenter stepped in for veteran broadcaster Ken Bruce on Radio Two. Scott, 49, is covering for Ken, 71, while he is absent from his mid-morning show.

PopMaster Ken's show pulls in 8.7 million listeners and boasts the largest audience on UK radio. Scott, who hosts the afternoon show on Radio One, took to Twitter to announce he would be filling in for Ken this week.

He wrote: "All week I'm sitting in for Ken Bruce on @BBCRadio2 from 9.30am. Each day @mimiwebb will be picking her 'Tracks of My Years' just after 11.30am." And his colleague Rylan rushed to defend him as the news was met with some criticism.

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He tweeted: "Scott Mills is an amazing radio host and I’m loving hearing him on our @BBCRadio2. He’s also one of the gooduns. Lay off x." @regmain6 agreed: "If people don't like listening to Scot taking over from the lovely Ken Bruce, then they have the right to turn to another station or off but don't bad mouth the guy who was chosen to sit in, and not for the first time I might add. Go on Scott keep up the good work."

Radio One presenter Katie Thistleton asked: "He’s literally the best thing on the radio are people ok???" @MorganSproxton wrote: "People are being weird. Scott is excellent. Change is also good occasionally."

@Queenie_B12 tweeted: "It's horrible to see all the negative comments about @scott_mills He is brilliant presenter, seems a lovely person and doesn't deserve it." @sylvia_marks said: "He is an excellent host, unfortunately some find it difficult to adjust to change, any change that is, so whoever took over