Evans: 'Ross leaving BBC was inevitable'

Chris Evans has said that it was "inevitable" that Jonathan Ross would leave the BBC.

Earlier this week, Ross announced that he is not planning to renew his contract with the broadcaster when it ends in July.

Speaking on The Andrew Marr Show, Evans explained that Ross couldn't escape the controversy that surrounded him following the phone calls he made to Andrew Sachs on Russell Brand's Radio 2 show.

"Jonathan parting ways with the BBC - I said last week I think it was inevitable in many ways," Evans said. "I thought the shadow and the cloud from what happened in October 2008... [he] just couldn't get away."

Evans also claimed that Ross could come back "better than ever".

"I hope he comes back," he said. "One thing I would say about Jonathan's situation is I just wish he had kept one foot in the camp so maybe kept his radio show. Maybe dropped the Friday night show, because that's the one that's caused all the fuss, it's the one all about the big salary, but maybe stay on the radio, stay relevant, stay in the game."

He added: "Jonathan can come back better than he's ever been because he is going to have to be."

Ross has recently been linked to jobs on Channel 4 and in the US.