BBC 'to give Chris Evans dressing down'

Chris Evans is to be reprimanded by BBC bosses over comments that he made about Adrian Chiles on his Radio 2 show, a report has claimed.

The DJ was speaking to rugby stars Matt Dawson and Austin Healey in his usual breakfast slot yesterday when he joked about Chiles's decision to leave the corporation, The Mirror reports.

The on-air chat reportedly saw Evans claiming that he could get Dawson and Healey screen tests to take over Chiles's position on The One Show.

After Dawson said that he would feel like a "warm-up act" for Evans, the broadcaster replied: "You are not the warm-up act for me. That is what the other guy thought and look what happened to him."

His remark followed Chiles's confirmation that he had quit the BBC in protest over plans to replace him with Evans in Friday episodes of the daily magazine programme.

A BBC source said: "This will not go unnoticed and Chris will have to explain himself. He is almost certain to get a dressing down where he will be reminded he has to be careful what he says on air, especially when referring to The One Show.

"He shouldn't be seen criticising Adrian for leaving the BBC and shouldn't give the impression he is extremely influential on a series he has not started on yet."

A spokesperson for the corporation played down the matter, insisting: "Chris always comments on topics of the day."