Oct 4, 2004 • 1 min read

Evans agent plans Virgin Radio takeover

Show business agent Michael Foster is reportedly assembling a consortium to buy back Virgin Radio from the Scottish Media Group for £100 million, though SMG says it is not for sale.

With his marriage apparently on the rocks, and his TV producing career somewhat faltering, perhaps Chris Evans should plan a return to his real first love - radio. Well, that career development might just become a reality following the news that the man who helped mastermind Evans' career is planning an ambitious bid to buy back Virgin Radio from the Scottish Media Group. Evans made a mint when SMG bought his Ginger Media outfit, whose main asset was the rock station originally founded by Branson's Virgin Group. But the deal turned sour when Evans spectacularly fell out with Virgin Radio management, leading to a high profile sacking and long drawn out court case.

Now show business agent Michael Foster is reportedly putting together a consortium with the intention of buying back Virgin Radio from SMG. That said, SMG maintains Virgin Radio is not for sale, plus the price Foster is reportedly willing to pay - £100 million - is somewhat less than the £140-150m the media group's city advisors would probably demand. But insiders reckon SMG investors keen to see the media group broken up might be attracted by the proposition.

Evans himself is not involved in the takeover bid - although if Foster wanted to re-launch the station getting Evans back on the air would be a good publicity coup.

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