Court sets date for Chris Evans case ruling

The courtroom battle between Chris Evans and the radio station where he was once the star is to be decided on June 26.

Mr Justice Lightman will be giving his ruling at the High Court in London on the case which began on March 19 and ended on May 8.

The former DJ and television presenter claimed that Virgin Radio withheld £8.6 million of his share options after terminating his breakfast show contract in a highly-publicised and bitter bust-up.

Evans, 37, was accused of bringing about his own downfall by Scottish Media Group, the company that bought out Evans’s successful radio station.

SMG counter-claimed more than £20m (€28.5m) from Evans who made a personal fortune of £70m (€82m) when he sold Virgin Radio.

The media group says that Evans was not unfairly dismissed but breached his contract when he failed to turn up for a series of broadcasts because he was too hungover to present his show.

Mr Justice Lightman had been told by Geoffrey Vos QC, representing SMG, that Evans showed an “overbearing arrogance and conceit” before he was sacked on June 28, 2001.

Evans was accused of disobeying management orders to play selected records, refusing to take part in promotions, missing broadcasts and ignoring management.

His split with the station came soon after his marriage to pop star Billie Piper in Las Vegas in May 2001.

Evans claimed that management had put him under so much stress that he was too ill to work.