The programme, to be screened five days a week for 13 weeks from September, will be presented by Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles.

Evans is said to have chosen the channel because of director of programming Kevin Lygo, whom he worked under at Channel 4 when presenting TFI Friday.

The rambunctious persona was only part truth

Kevin Lygo Channel 5

Lygo told The Sunday Telegraph newspaper he was delighted as Evans would be "perfect" for the channel, which is targeting a more mainstream audience.

"He is probably the best producer of entertainment programming in the country," he said.

Evans, 35, was sacked from Virgin Radio in June after failing to turn up for work six mornings in a row.

In May, he married 18-year-old Billie Piper in Las Vegas, 12 months after he first met her on TFI Friday.

Pop star Billie was seen with the presenter visiting their local pub in Hascombe, Surrey, on the day before his sacking, closely followed by reporters and camera crews

Demands

Evans maintains he was unfairly dismissed.

But it was not the first time that he had left a radio station under a cloud.

In January 1997 Evans left Radio 1 after his demands to work a four-day week were refused by station controller Matthew Bannister, and refused to go back into the studio to serve his notice.

But Lygo is unconcerned.

"He took time out to assess what he wanted to do in life," he told The Telegraph.

"The rambunctious persona was only part truth."