New chapter joy for Chris Evans

With partners in crime TVs Danny Baker and soccer star Gazza, Chris was never off the front pages with drunken high jinx and high profile romances providing typical tabloid fodder in the late nineties.

Thus the name Chris Evans raised more than a few eyebrows when he was unveiled as the man who would take over from veteran broadcaster Wogan when he hangs up his mic at the end of the year.

Sir Terry, 71, told listeners of the long-running and much-loved "Wake Up to Wogan" that Evans, currently filling the drive-time slot, will take the helm in January next year.

But despite murmurs of dissent from the TOGGS - that's Terry's Old Guys and Gals to you and me - Evans, 43, is convinced he will be a success in his new role - claiming it comes down to a simple matter of maths.

He said: "There is this myth that the audience for my show is totally different to that of Terry's.

"However it is the inconvenient truth that the average age of Terry's listeners is 53, and the average age of my listeners is 51.

"That's a difference of just two years.

"In fact, there is only eight years difference between me and my average listener, and ten years between me and Terry's audience.

"Looking at it the other way round Terry is actually 18 years older than his average listener.

"The lead singer of ACDC is in his sixties.

"A 50 year old listening to the breakfast show would have been 18 in 1977 - the era of the Sex Pistols - so technically we could play punk on the breakfast show."

The last line is delivered with a triumphant grin, an answer to the critics, 200 of whom wrote to the BBC to complain when Evans was announced as the the voice of the breakfast show.

Although many were shocked at news of the personnel change, Evans has been preparing for the takeover for months.

He said: "I was approached about this job ages ago. It was really down to Terry deciding when he wanted to go.

"The longer it went on the more people knew and the more amazed I was that we managed to keep it under wraps for so long."

Refusing to disclose when he was approached he would only add: "It was months rather than weeks."

Evans was at Birmingham's Waterstone's store in New Street yesterday (WED) promoting his new book "It's Not What You Think".

The book charts his success from his childhood growing up in Warrington to his life as a multi-millionaire DJ and media mogul.

Not bad for a man who once made a living as a Tarzan-o-gram.

"It's not what you think" was one of a number of titles considered by Evans for the book - the first half of his memoirs.

He said: "There are a number of reasons for the title.

"I came up with a lot of ideas to start with. I firmly believe that with a great title you are half the way there.

"Part of the reason I chose "Its not what you think", is that the book isn't what I thought it would be.

"As I was writing it, I started talking about what it was like growing up, meeting a girl that you like, that kind of thing, which wasn't really what I had set out to do.

"It is also what I was told straight after I found out I had a job at Virgin.

"They said: "It's not what you think", and it wasn't, the job was only for 10 weeks.

"Nothing is ever really what you think it will be."

Evans' recent career has been centred on his radio shows, despite the commercial success of his TV projects, The Big Breakfast, Don't Forget Your Toothbrush and TFI Friday in the nineties.

And he revealed he may be back our screens sooner rather than we think, with a meeting with TV execs scheduled for today. (THURS)

He said: "I am meeting with BBC2 to talk about a project I may or may not do - I can't say any more than that at the moment.

"I see what Jonathon (Ross) does, but I can't imagine doing a chat show again.

"That said, I never say never."

After high profile flings with number of celebrities and a six year marriage to pop star and actress Billie Piper, Evans is now happily married to Natasha Shishmanian, a part time model and professional golfer, who he met at a celebrity golf match.

With one grown up daughter from a previous marriage, he is now father to baby Noah, just coming up to eight months old, and said it is hard to spend time away from home these days.

He said: "I am away this week, promoting the book and it is so difficult being away from them.

"Noah is great - routine is the key. Tash got him into a routine early and he is good as gold now, sleeps through and everything.

"He is amazing and has been to swimming and to music classes, already."

BBC2 aside, Evans' next project will see him team up with Wogan for a charity version of TVs Who Wants to be a Millionaire - a project he is looking forward to.

"Terry Wogan is someone I respect greatly and is a very, very intelligent man, he said

"We will be joining forces for a Christmas version of the show this year to raise cash for charity."

And his phone a friend?

"It would have to be Danny Baker," he answers, immediately.

Some habits, it would seem, die hard.