BBC fines Evans for missing radio show

The Radio 1 disc jockey Chris Evans was fined a day's pay yesterday for failing to turn up for his breakfast show on Thursday.

The pounds 1m-a-year presenter, whose company, Ginger Productions, makes the show for the BBC, is believed to have been fined about pounds 7,000 by Radio 1's controller, Matthew Bannister. He spent almost 30 minutes in the controller's office where he was warned about fulfilling his contract. A BBC spokeswoman said: "Chris has been severely told off and his wages docked, which for him is quite substantial."

Mr Evans, 29, left Broadcasting House at 10am, refusing to speak about the incident which began when he decided to treat his production team to a Christmas lunch which lasted until early Thursday morning.

When he failed to turn up for work at 4.30am, Thursday's early morning DJ, Clive Warren, stayed on air while a deputy was roused to take over the show.

Yesterday Mr Evans returned to the airwaves in wise-cracking style and joked about missing the programme. "It's so good to be back, I feel like I've had a holiday in Bermuda - although it was more expensive than a week in Bermuda, obviously," he told listeners.

Mr Warren also made a dig at the errant star while signing off his early-morning show. "Do you want me to do another half-hour," he joked. "No problem, it's the same price as yesterday. Has he turned up yet?"