Chris Evans Breakfast Show on Virgin Radio will be ad free under new deal with Sky

The Chris Evans Breakfast Show on Virgin Radio will be free of ad breaks thanks to a sponsorship deal with Sky.

The agreement will see Sky will put money into the programme in exchange for branded content, competitions and events.

Rupert Murdoch’s News UK, which owns Virgin Radio through the Wireless Group, suggested the ad-free format would be welcomed by listeners moving over from Evans’ show on BBC Radio 2.

Murdoch also owned part of Sky before rival Comcast won a bidding war for the UK broadcaster earlier this year.

In a statement, Evans said: “So much has changed in broadcasting since I was last at Virgin Radio that now, thanks to Sky, we can do the show without ad breaks.”

Sky UK and Ireland chief executive Stephen van Rooyen added: “The Chris Evans Breakfast Show on Virgin Radio will bring audiences something completely new, bold and fresh – everything we love at Sky.

“We’re excited to create an innovative radio first with Chris and Virgin Radio, and bring Sky customers even more of the entertainment they love when Virgin Radio launches across Sky from 7 January.”

Virgin Radio will be added to Sky+ and Sky Q TV packages on 7 January next year.

The Chris Evans Breakfast Show will be available online, DAB digital radio and the Virgin Radio app. It will air from 6.30am-10am, starting from 21 January.

Evans made his last appearance on Radio 2 today. He will be replaced by Zoe Ball.

Speaking during his final show, Evans said: “Thank you to the BBC for supporting me, and trusting me with one of their precious microphones for the last years, for allowing me to grow every minute of every day that I have been on air.

“Live from Glastonbury, live from the beaches of northern France for the commemoration of the Normandy landings or having a blast in the middle of one of our regular Friday shows.

“The mayhem there of the usually attendant nonsense that they involve. And yes, all that incredible music. Right here in Terry’s old studio. Studio 6C at Wogan House in London.”

Picture: News UK