Chris Evans: Trying To Find Success In Wogan?s Shadow

Chris Evans: Trying To Find Success In Wogan?s Shadow
After 27 years of entertaining millions every morning, Sir Terry Wogan left the breakfast show on BBC Radio 2. Chris Evans, mostly known for his eccentric behaviour and bad boy attitude took over the golden microphone in January this year. Will he manage to woo Wogan?s audience?

Chant?l du Plooy investigates whether Chris Evans has what it takes to fill the legendary broadcaster?s shoes.

The ultimate icon

After almost three decades hosting Europe?s most loved breakfast show, Sir Terry Wogan has moved on to a different slot. The 71 year old Irish presenter will host a new two hour show on Saturdays, which involves performances from an 11 piece band in front of a 350 seat audience.

During his time on Wake up to Wogan, Sir Terry was voted as the station?s Ultimate Icon. He created an intensely popular show and generated fans across the nation, whom he refers to as Togs (Terry s Old Geezers/Gals). During his final three months as host, Wogan accumulated a hard to beat average of 8.1 million listeners per week.

Industry experts believe that his successes as a presenter have much to do with his ability to talk about any subject and pull it off.

However, the show must go on and Britain?s most adored radio station and its 13.47 million listeners have a new hero to make.

The road to Radio 2

The 43 year old Christopher James Evans has made a name for himself in both television and radio over the last 27 years. Starting out at Piccadilly Radio in 1986 he moved on to stations such as BBC GLR, Radio 1 and Virgin Radio.

Evans did a series of television programs like The Big Breakfast on Channel 4 and OFI Sunday on ITV. He also managed to set up two production companies in this period, Ginger Production and UMTV.

Between 1996 and 2002, Evans went from hosting successful shows and being acclaimed for it to someone who was synonymous with late night boozing, skipping work and clashing with management.

After disappearing from the spotlight for a couple of years, Evans returned in 2005 and started to ease his way back into presenting at Radio 2. First as a stand in on bank holidays, then in a permanent slot on Saturdays between 2 and 5pm before eventually landing the celebrated weekday Drivetime shows in April 2006.

Evans took over the Drivetime mic from long time host, Johnnie Walker. The switch caused quite a stir, with 1000 listeners complaining. However, by August 2006 RAJAR audience figures showed that Evans had attracted only 150,000 fewer listeners than Walker did on his last show. By October 2006, his audience was up 109,000.

In 2007, Evans married golf professional Natasha Shishmanian and their son, Noah was born in 2009. Evans shared his personal experiences with his listeners and Lesley Douglas, former Radio 2 head, admires him for it.

?Chris Evans is a lesson in how to connect with people. His listeners lived through his wedding, his house move and the birth of his son he shared his joy, and listeners responded,? she wrote in the Guardian.

Last year Evans won two Sony awards, including Music Radio Personality of the Year.

And now, he finds himself hosting the best slot on the most popular radio station in the UK. Now, that?s impressive.

On his first show, Evans played Beatle classics and assured listeners that he is a new man.

?Buckle up now guys,? he said. ?But not too tight for it s going to be a long but pleasant ride. This time I can guarantee there will be very little, if any turbulence at all, but of course that doesn t mean we re not going to have fun.?

Time

Chris Evans isn?t Terry Wogan. He doesn?t have an Irish accent, he?s not naturally funny and his voice doesn?t soothe the soul in quite the same way. But he is quirky, spirited and wildly entertaining. Let?s give the man some time to warm up his seat and win our hearts.


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