Chris Evans has returned to Virgin Radio with his new breakfast show, marking his first since leaving BBC Radio 2 on Christmas Eve after nine years. The broadcaster expressed his excitement, stating it was “so great to be back on Virgin” and describing the opportunity as a “real treat”.
The debut show featured a live performance from Richard Ashcroft, who played The Verve’s ‘Lucky Man’ as the first song. Other guests included actors Fay Ripley and Paul Whitehouse, as well as comedians Romesh Ranganathan and Rob Beckett, who promoted their Sky One show.
Evans’s show is sponsored by Sky, making it the first commercial radio breakfast programme without adverts. He has signed a three-year contract with Virgin, with a likely extension to five years. Regular features include ‘Gobsmackers’, ‘Golden Oldie’, and ‘Big Screen Belter’, where listeners request film soundtrack songs.
Listeners were generally positive, though some struggled to tune into the digital-only station. James Corden welcomed Evans on Twitter, saying the show made him feel “homesick yet warm and fuzzy”. Evans dismissed any rivalry with Zoe Ball, who now hosts BBC Radio 2’s breakfast show, stating “there’s room for everyone”.
