manchester

showbiz

Evans bags drivetime slot

NEW ROLE: Evans

The job is the Warrington media mogul's first daily radio show since being sacked by Virgin in 2001.

Walker is stepping down after seven years and moving to a new Sunday slot.

"To take over the drivetime show from Johnnie Walker is an absolute honour," Evans said.

"The guy is a legend, he's also very special to me as he helped get me my first job at the BBC way back in 1990.

"As for the show itself, drivetime is hugely important. In many ways it mirrors the breakfast show as a transition for people between work and home.

Journey

"It's our job to help that journey be less of a thing to dread and more of a thing to look forward to."

Radio 2 controller Lesley Douglas said: "Johnnie Walker is a hard act to follow. Chris Evans is a brilliant radio talent who has already scored a hit with his weekend show and I know he will give the audience a great new show for weekdays."

Evans previously hosted the BBC Radio 1 and Virgin Radio breakfast shows.

Walker took over the Radio 2 drivetime slot in 1999 and attracted two million extra listeners, making it the most listened to drivetime show in the UK.

In 2003 he was diagnosed with cancer but returned to the airwaves the following year.

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