'The whole week was a complete nightmare. However, he claimed Mr Evans continued to refuse to speak to him, behaviour he considered 'wholly unprofessional'. 'From my perspective Chris was virtually blackmailing the station to do what he wanted,' said Mr Pearson.Д«y May 3 Mr Pearson knew Mr Evans was in America and he agreed the DJ would return to the station on May 14. 'Chris gives the impression that these changes were instituted by me - nothing could be further from the truth. He said Mr Evans was not correct in asserting Mr Pearson wanted to get rid of his breakfast show team. 'I was trying to manage the station's biggest and most important talent as best I could in very difficult circumstances,' said Mr Pearson. He said that he realised by May 2 that Mr Evans was not ill and it was obvious the DJ was not interested in talking to him.

'I was concerned the press would discover Virgin Radio was not in meaningful contact with - or had any information about - its top presenter,' said Mr Pearson. He added he felt 'extremely uncomfortable' in deciding the station's only recourse was to tell journalists Mr Evans was 'taking a break' from the breakfast show when it was obvious more was going on behind the scenes. 'The station was put in an impossible position with the obvious danger of the whole thing becoming a high-profile media disaster, damaging the station and its credibility,' said Mr Pearson in his statement. We were then told he was ill, which subsequently turned out to be untrue. 'In all my years in radio this behaviour was wholly unprecedented, the main presenter disappearing without explanation. A presenter cannot make a unilateral decision about a show and then disappear,' said Mr Pearson. I find it amazing that Chris appears to think it was acceptable. 'No apology was offered for Chris' behaviour. Talking about the events that unfolded from May 1 2001, the first day when Mr Evans did not turn up to present his show, Mr Pearson said the star presenter's behaviour was 'wholly unprecedented'.

Mr Evans is suing SMG for ВЈ8.6m in share options after he was fired for alleged breach of contract in June 2001. Mr Pearson described the events of what he said was a 'nightmare' week in his witness statement to the court, which is hearing Mr Evans' case against Virgin Radio's owner, Scottish Media Group. John Pearson, the chief executive of Virgin Radio, said Mr Evans' decision not to turn up for work after a drinking binge on April 30 2001, had left him feeling 'powerless' and had put the station in an 'impossible position'. Chris Evans held Virgin Radio effectively blackmailed the station to get what he wanted, it was alleged today in the high court.

Steve penk the way they were