Chris Evans departs BBC Radio 2 Breakfast for Virgin

Chris Evans is to step down from the BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show on 21st December 2018, after 13 years at the station.

Announcing the news on his show on Monday, Chris said he first discussed leaving a few months ago with his bosses, and only just made his mind up for sure a few weeks ago.

“I have absolutely loved every single moment of my time at Radio 2,” he said.

“The last 13 years have flashed by in what seems like the blink of an eye. I have learnt so much from so many people to whom I will be eternally grateful.”

Speaking about his new appointment, Chris said: “In many ways Virgin Radio is my spiritual home. I see nothing but exciting and groundbreaking opportunities ahead.

“In a medium that is changing so quickly on a daily basis, the potential for growth is unprecedented. Our plan is: to give it all we’ve got, see where we can get to and have the most possible fun along the way. It makes me smile every time I think about it.”

Scott Taunton, CEO of Wireless, said: “We are beyond thrilled that Chris has chosen to come back to Virgin Radio. He is the biggest name in radio and is synonymous with the brand. He has the most exciting Breakfast Show in the industry and has an energy that captivates audiences.

“This is a transformational moment for Virgin Radio since it relaunched two years ago. It is the next stage of our radio revolution, giving us a world-class presenter and a nationally recognised breakfast show that will drive audience growth for the station, across DAB, our app and all forms of connected listening.”

Chris had previously hosted the breakfast show on Virgin Radio from 1997-2001.

Virgin currently has 413,000 listeners compared with BBC Radio 2’s 15 million – and the Wireless-owned station is only available on digital radio.

Chris first joined Radio 2 in September 2005 as the host of the Saturday afternoon show, moving to Drive Time in April 2006. Chris took over from Sir Terry Wogan as the host of the Radio 2 Breakfast Show in January 2010.

Bob Shennan, Director, BBC Radio and Music (and former Radio 2 Controller), says: “Chris has been done an incredible job for Radio 2 for more than a decade.

“He has taken Breakfast radio to new heights and is one of the greats. We will miss him and plan to build an even stronger station, taking inspiration from both his, and his predecessor Sir Terry Wogan’s, legacy.”