Chris Evans (British broadcaster)

Chris Evans (born April 1, 1966, in Warrington, England) is a British celebrity.

Related Topics:
April 1 - 1966 - Warrington - England - British

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Evans started his broadcasting career at Piccadilly Radio, working also at the BBC London radio station GLR presenting 'Round at Chris Evans' every Saturday morning from 10am-1pm and also presented a Monday - Thursday evening show from 7.30-10pm.

Related Topics:
Piccadilly Radio - GLR

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In 1990, his weekday evening show ended, but he still continued with his Saturday morning show and in addition to that, in early 1992, Chris presented a Sunday afternoon show on BBC Radio 1 called 'Too Much Gravy', which went out from 2.30-4pm until September 1992.

Related Topics:
1990 - 1992 - BBC Radio 1

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He found national celebrity as the co-host of The Big Breakfast in late 1992 and in 1993 he left GLR, to present exactly the same format on Virgin Radio, where he lasted only 3 months.

Related Topics:
The Big Breakfast - 1993 - Virgin Radio

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Evans left The Big Breakfast on 29 September 1994 and formed his own production company Ginger Productions which has produced all his subsequent work. This included the show Don't Forget Your Toothbrush which was broadcast in 1994 and 1995 and proved to be very lucrative for Evans, its format being sold to a number of foreign broadcasters.

Related Topics:
29 September - 1994 - Don't Forget Your Toothbrush - 1995

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In April 1995 Evans joined BBC Radio 1 to host the 6.30-9.00am breakfast show, and significantly boosted its ratings. His spell at the station ended in 1997 when he finally failed to turn up to work, following a long-running dispute over his demand to take Fridays off, in part to pursue commitments he had taken on as the host of Channel 4's TFI Friday programme, which had commenced in 1996. The show ended in 2000 after viewing figures declined.

Related Topics:
1995 - BBC Radio 1 - 1997 - Channel 4 - TFI Friday - 2000

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He went on to host Virgin Radio's breakfast show from 13 October 1997. In December that year, with the assistance of investors, he bought Virgin Radio from Richard Branson, for £85m, and formed the Ginger Media Group, to control the interests both of Ginger Productions and Virgin Radio.

Related Topics:
Virgin Radio - 13 October - 1997 - Ginger Media Group

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During the last quarter of 1999, Evans ran separate quizzes on his radio show and on TFI Friday, both called Someone's Going To Be A Millionaire. The million-pound prize was awarded on radio on 17 December and on television on 24 December. These were the the first million-pound prizes awarded on either medium in the UK. The distinction of being the first quizmaster to give away a million-pound prize is often erroneously ascribed to Chris Tarrant on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, however Evans was in fact first by more than ten months.

Related Topics:
1999 - 17 December - 24 December - Chris Tarrant - Who Wants To Be A Millionaire

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In March 2000, GMG was sold to SMG Plc, for £285m. Evans continued to host the station's breakfast show, however, until he was sacked on June 28, 2001, for repeatedly failing to arrive at work; he had allegedly been on a drinking spree. Evans attempted to sue Virgin Radio, claiming that he was unfairly dismissed and denied share options worth £8.6m. The judgment in Evans v SMG Television Ltd. & Ors 2003 EWHC 1423 (Ch) (26 June 2003)http://www.bailii.org/cgi-bin/markup.cgi?doc=/ew/cases/EWHC/Ch/2003/1423.html&query=virgin+radio&method=all. Justice Lightman found that he had been fairly dismissed and was not entitled to the share options.

Related Topics:
SMG Plc - June 28 - 2001 - 2003 - 26 June

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Virgin Radio countersued and Evans was ordered to pay £1m towards their legal costs.

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He married ex-singer Billie Piper in Las Vegas in May 2001. In September 2004 news stories circulated regarding a trial separation. In spring 2005 it was confirmed that Evans and Piper would divorce. Evans has a daughter, Jade (born 1986) from a previous relationship.

Related Topics:
Billie Piper - Las Vegas - 2004

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He has recently re-entered public life, presenting the Breakfast UK Radio Aid?s day of programming for the victims of the Asian Tsunami, and has presented occasional shows on BBC Radio 2 including the coverage of the Live 8 concert in London

Related Topics:
UK Radio Aid - Asian Tsunami - BBC Radio 2 - Live 8 concert in London

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Evans joined Radio 2 on a permanent basis in September 2005, to present a weekly Saturday afternoon show from 2pm-5pm. He has also been signed up to host the 2006 Brit Awards, according to The Sun.

Related Topics:
Radio 2 - 2005 - 2006 - Brit Awards - The Sun

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From the autumn, he will be presenting Oh No It's Sunday on ITV.

Related Topics:
Oh No It's Sunday - ITV

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