C4 seeks a host after Evans quits 'TFI Friday'

Channel 4 bosses are seeking a host for the television show TFI Friday after Chris Evans unexpectedly quit weeks before the start of its last series.

Channel 4 bosses are seeking a host for the television show TFI Friday after Chris Evans unexpectedly quit weeks before the start of its last series.

The chatshow's final series was due to start on 3 November and run for eight weeks. Despite attracting two million viewers a week, Channel 4 bosses are not renewing the show's contract, which is up at the end of the year.

But it is now without a presenter after Evans, who has fronted the programme for five years, decided to leave. Evans, who also presents the daily breakfast show for Virgin Radio, decided he did not want to be a part of the last series.

Sources close to the presenter said he wanted to "concentrate on radio for a while. He feels he needs a break from television at the moment".

But while they admitted the decision appeared sudden, they were keen to stress that Evans' relationship with Channel 4 "was still very good", and that they would be collaborating on television projects in the future.

A Channel 4 spokesman refused to confirm reports that pop stars, including the Spice Girls and Ronan Keating, and the celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, had been approached to front the show. He said: "It will probably be a different presenter each week."

Recent listening figures show that Evans' Virgin Radio show is also losing listeners to Sara Cox on Radio 1.